diff --git a/src/hb-ot-layout-common-private.hh b/src/hb-ot-layout-common-private.hh
index c7e458f2c..fb7fd3b49 100644
--- a/src/hb-ot-layout-common-private.hh
+++ b/src/hb-ot-layout-common-private.hh
@@ -313,6 +313,7 @@ struct Lookup
     TRACE_SANITIZE ();
     /* Real sanitize of the subtables is done by GSUB/GPOS/... */
     if (!(c->check_struct (this) && subTable.sanitize (c))) return TRACE_RETURN (false);
+    if (!subTable.len) TRACE_RETURN (false);
     if (unlikely (lookupFlag & LookupFlag::UseMarkFilteringSet))
     {
       USHORT &markFilteringSet = StructAfter<USHORT> (subTable);