diff --git a/wcag-validation/src/main/java/org/verapdf/gf/model/factory/chunks/TextChunksHelper.java b/wcag-validation/src/main/java/org/verapdf/gf/model/factory/chunks/TextChunksHelper.java
index 22fc489fc..51a71bdfb 100644
--- a/wcag-validation/src/main/java/org/verapdf/gf/model/factory/chunks/TextChunksHelper.java
+++ b/wcag-validation/src/main/java/org/verapdf/gf/model/factory/chunks/TextChunksHelper.java
@@ -169,7 +169,8 @@ protected static double calculateFontWeight(int renderingMode, PDFont font) {
 	}
 
 	protected static void updateSymbolEnds(List<Double> symbolEnds, double shift, double left, int length) {
-		if (length <= 1) {
+		if (length == 0) return;
+        if (length == 1) {
 			symbolEnds.add(left + shift);
 		} else {
 			double newShift = shift / length;