diff --git a/contrib/one-true-awk/lib.c b/contrib/one-true-awk/lib.c
index ff5c95a731aa..e2688a2debe4 100644
--- a/contrib/one-true-awk/lib.c
+++ b/contrib/one-true-awk/lib.c
@@ -617,7 +617,7 @@ void eprint(void)	/* try to print context around error */
 	static int been_here = 0;
 	extern char ebuf[], *ep;
 
-	if (compile_time == 2 || compile_time == 0 || been_here++ > 0)
+	if (compile_time == 2 || compile_time == 0 || been_here++ > 0 || ebuf == ep)
 		return;
 	p = ep - 1;
 	if (p > ebuf && *p == '\n')