diff --git a/tests/ampctl_parse.c b/tests/ampctl_parse.c
index 55d2137ad..b7256e122 100644
--- a/tests/ampctl_parse.c
+++ b/tests/ampctl_parse.c
@@ -1100,7 +1100,7 @@ int ampctl_parse(AMP *my_amp, FILE *fin, FILE *fout, char *argv[], int argc)
 
                 rp_getline(pmptstr);
 
-                if (!(strcmp(input_line, "")))
+                if (!input_line || !(strcmp(input_line, "")))
                 {
                     fprintf(fout, "? for help, q to quit.\n");
                     fflush(fout);
diff --git a/tests/rigctl_parse.c b/tests/rigctl_parse.c
index 97e9ccd6b..c87ce2ae5 100644
--- a/tests/rigctl_parse.c
+++ b/tests/rigctl_parse.c
@@ -1478,7 +1478,7 @@ readline_repeat:
 
                 rp_getline(pmptstr);
 
-                if (!(strcmp(input_line, "")))
+                if (!input_line || !(strcmp(input_line, "")))
                 {
                     fprintf(fout, "? for help, q to quit.\n");
                     fflush(fout);
diff --git a/tests/rotctl_parse.c b/tests/rotctl_parse.c
index 1de1bda95..263460a94 100644
--- a/tests/rotctl_parse.c
+++ b/tests/rotctl_parse.c
@@ -1160,7 +1160,7 @@ int rotctl_parse(ROT *my_rot, FILE *fin, FILE *fout, char *argv[], int argc,
 
                 rp_getline(pmptstr);
 
-                if (!(strcmp(input_line, "")))
+                if (!input_line || !(strcmp(input_line, "")))
                 {
                     fprintf(fout, "? for help, q to quit.\n");
                     fflush(fout);