diff --git a/scribus/plugins/import/pdf/importpdf.cpp b/scribus/plugi
ns/import/pdf/importpdf.cpp
index d2aba0633..9b8bfd6f2 100644
--- a/scribus/plugins/import/pdf/importpdf.cpp
+++ b/scribus/plugins/import/pdf/importpdf.cpp
@@ -1016,6 +1016,8 @@ QString PdfPlug::UnicodeParsedString(const std:
:string& s1)
 {
        if (s1.length() == 0)
                return QString();
+       if (s1.at(0)==0)
+               return QString();
        GBool isUnicode;
        size_t i;
        Unicode u;
