diff --git a/src/load-save.cc b/src/load-save.cc
--- a/src/load-save.cc
+++ b/src/load-save.cc
@@ -649,7 +649,7 @@
   std::string orig_fname = "";
 
   // Function called with Matlab-style ["filename", options] syntax
-  if (argc > 1 && argv[1].at(0) != '-')
+  if (argc > 1 && ! argv[1].empty () && argv[1].at(0) != '-')
     {
       orig_fname = argv[1];
       i++;
diff --git a/test/test_io.m b/test/test_io.m
--- a/test/test_io.m
+++ b/test/test_io.m
@@ -227,6 +227,8 @@
 %!
 %! delete matrix.ascii;
 
+%!error <unable to find file> load ("")
+
 %% FIXME: This test is disabled as it writes to stdout and there is no easy
 %% way to recover output.  Need to spawn new octave process and pipe stdout
 %% somewhere to treat this case.