diff --git a/src/internal.c b/src/internal.c
index ccc010acf7..ec87fd9f53 100644
--- a/src/internal.c
+++ b/src/internal.c
@@ -13356,6 +13356,9 @@ int MatchDomainName(const char* pattern, int patternLen, const char* str,
                 wildcardEligible = 0;
             }
 
+            if (strLen == 0)
+                return 0;
+
             /* Simple case, pattern match exactly */
             if (p != (char)XTOLOWER((unsigned char) *str))
                 return 0;