diff --git a/builtins/read.def b/builtins/read.def
index 4915220c..e32dec7b 100644
--- a/builtins/read.def
+++ b/builtins/read.def
@@ -791,7 +791,7 @@ assign_vars:
     }
 #endif
 
-  if (saw_escape)
+  if (saw_escape && input_string && *input_string)
     {
       t = dequote_string (input_string);
       var = bind_read_variable (list->word->word, t);
diff --git a/patchlevel.h b/patchlevel.h
index 4e51dbc9..99d2ea25 100644
--- a/patchlevel.h
+++ b/patchlevel.h
@@ -25,6 +25,6 @@
    regexp `^#define[ 	]*PATCHLEVEL', since that's what support/mkversion.sh
    looks for to find the patch level (for the sccs version string). */
 
-#define PATCHLEVEL 37
+#define PATCHLEVEL 38
 
 #endif /* _PATCHLEVEL_H_ */