diff --git a/tdeioslave/imap4/imapinfo.cc b/tdeioslave/imap4/imapinfo.cc
index 0601488c..3e21ee77 100644
--- a/tdeioslave/imap4/imapinfo.cc
+++ b/tdeioslave/imap4/imapinfo.cc
@@ -196,6 +196,9 @@ ulong imapInfo::_flags (const TQCString & inFlags)
   ulong flags = 0;
   parseString flagsString;
   flagsString.data.duplicate(inFlags.data(), inFlags.length());
+  if ( flagsString.isEmpty() ) {
+    return flags;
+  }
 
   if (flagsString[0] == '(')
     flagsString.pos++;