diff --git a/libredex/Show.cpp b/libredex/Show.cpp
index 0deb435955d..7ee793f8401 100644
--- a/libredex/Show.cpp
+++ b/libredex/Show.cpp
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ std::string show_type(const DexType* t, bool deobfuscated) {
           return std::string("");
         }
         auto name = t->get_name()->str();
-        if (!deobfuscated) {
+        if (!deobfuscated || name.empty()) {
           return str_copy(name);
         }
         if (name[0] == 'L') {
diff --git a/libredex/TypeUtil.cpp b/libredex/TypeUtil.cpp
index 83e603bca02..c7ca0834213 100644
--- a/libredex/TypeUtil.cpp
+++ b/libredex/TypeUtil.cpp
@@ -101,7 +101,10 @@ bool is_valid(std::string_view descriptor) {
 }
 
 bool is_primitive(const DexType* type) {
-  switch (type->get_name()->str().at(0)) {
+  auto const name = type->get_name()->str();
+  always_assert_type_log(is_valid(name), INVALID_DEX, "Invalid type name: %s",
+                         type->get_name()->c_str());
+  switch (name[0]) {
   case 'Z':
   case 'B':
   case 'S':