diff --git a/scriptcontext.c b/scriptcontext.c
index bbda1f30..9befb6e5 100644
--- a/scriptcontext.c
+++ b/scriptcontext.c
@@ -485,6 +485,10 @@ static char *SctActionHandler(void *actionData, char *lastReply,
     sct->sendCalled = 0;
     SyncedBegin(data->syncid);
     ret = SctCallInContext(con, script, node, controller, &result);
+    if (result[0] == '\0') {
+      ret = 0;
+      result = "empty response - probably missing return statement";
+    }
     SyncedEnd(data->syncid);
     sct->sendNode = NULL;
     if (ret == 0) {