1 files changed, 11 insertions, 1 deletions
diff --git a/variable.c b/variable.c
index 9ff04c4..ab29f02 100644
--- a/variable.c
+++ b/variable.c
@@ -548,7 +548,9 @@ target_environment (file)
    If not, NULL is returned.  */
 
 struct variable *
-try_variable_definition (line, origin)
+try_variable_definition (filename, lineno, line, origin)
+     char *filename;
+     unsigned int lineno;
      char *line;
      enum variable_origin origin;
 {
@@ -594,6 +596,14 @@ try_variable_definition (line, origin)
   expanded_name = allocated_variable_expand (name);
   free (name);
 
+  if (expanded_name[0] == '\0')
+    {
+      if (filename == 0)
+	fatal ("empty variable name");
+      else
+	makefile_fatal (filename, lineno, "empty variable name");
+    }
+
   v = define_variable (expanded_name, strlen (expanded_name),
 		       recursive ? p : variable_expand (p),
 		       origin, recursive);