1 files changed, 4 insertions, 2 deletions

diff --git a/lisp/eshell/esh-arg.el b/lisp/eshell/esh-arg.el
index 7e0be3138e8..322a0173b27 100644
--- a/lisp/eshell/esh-arg.el
+++ b/lisp/eshell/esh-arg.el
@@ -342,8 +342,10 @@ special character that is not itself a backslash."
             (save-restriction
               (forward-char)
               (narrow-to-region (point) end)
-              (list 'eshell-escape-arg
-                    (eshell-parse-argument)))
+              (let ((arg (eshell-parse-argument)))
+                (if (eq arg nil)
+                    ""
+                  (list 'eshell-escape-arg arg))))
           (goto-char (1+ end)))))))
 
 (defun eshell-parse-special-reference ()