diff --git a/TestSuite/shortstring3.pas b/TestSuite/shortstring3.pas
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fd8daf9e6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/TestSuite/shortstring3.pas
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+begin
+var s: string[1];
+var s0: string := nil;
+s := s0;
+assert(s = '');
+end.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/bin/Lib/PABCSystem.pas b/bin/Lib/PABCSystem.pas
index ec1032850..e04fa5e46 100644
--- a/bin/Lib/PABCSystem.pas
+++ b/bin/Lib/PABCSystem.pas
@@ -13677,7 +13677,9 @@ end;
 [System.Diagnostics.DebuggerStepThrough]
 function ClipShortString(s: string; len: integer): string;
 begin
-  if s.Length <= len then 
+  if s = nil then
+	Result := ''
+  else if s.Length <= len then 
     Result := s
   else Result := s.Substring(0, len);
 end;