diff --git a/lib/symboldatabase.cpp b/lib/symboldatabase.cpp
index 90e374c26..f2fb38a71 100644
--- a/lib/symboldatabase.cpp
+++ b/lib/symboldatabase.cpp
@@ -3934,5 +3934,5 @@ std::string ValueType::str() const
         if (constness & (2 << p))
             ret += " const";
     }
-    return ret.substr(1);
+    return ret.empty() ? ret : ret.substr(1);
 }
diff --git a/test/testsymboldatabase.cpp b/test/testsymboldatabase.cpp
index fdd89b854..a16565d85 100644
--- a/test/testsymboldatabase.cpp
+++ b/test/testsymboldatabase.cpp
@@ -3008,6 +3008,9 @@ private:
     }
 
     void valuetype() {
+        // stringification
+        ASSERT_EQUALS("", ValueType().str());
+
         // numbers
         ASSERT_EQUALS("signed int", typeOf("1", "1"));
         ASSERT_EQUALS("unsigned int", typeOf("1U", "1U"));