diff --git a/src/pngchunk.cpp b/src/pngchunk.cpp
index acefc88d..1992fbdc 100644
--- a/src/pngchunk.cpp
+++ b/src/pngchunk.cpp
@@ -619,6 +619,9 @@ namespace Exiv2 {
                                             0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0, 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,
                                             0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0, 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,10,11,12,
                                             13,14,15};
+        if (text.size_ == 0) {
+            return DataBuf();
+        }
 
         sp = (char*)text.pData_+1;