diff --git a/lib/preprocessor.cpp b/lib/preprocessor.cpp
index a5e97b205..1543fa939 100644
--- a/lib/preprocessor.cpp
+++ b/lib/preprocessor.cpp
@@ -819,8 +819,11 @@ std::string Preprocessor::removeParentheses(const std::string &str)
                         --ind;
                         if (ind == 0) {
                             if (i == line.length() - 1) {
-                                line[line.find('(')] = ' ';
-                                line.erase(line.length() - 1);
+                                const std::string::size_type posIndx = line.find('(');
+                                if (posIndx != std::string::npos) {
+                                    line[posIndx] = ' ';
+                                    line.erase(line.length() - 1);
+                                }
                             }
                             break;
                         }