diff --git a/src/SIL.Machine/Scripture/ScriptureRangeParser.cs b/src/SIL.Machine/Scripture/ScriptureRangeParser.cs
index bad5211e0..ddd40ca50 100644
--- a/src/SIL.Machine/Scripture/ScriptureRangeParser.cs
+++ b/src/SIL.Machine/Scripture/ScriptureRangeParser.cs
@@ -151,6 +151,11 @@ public Dictionary<string, List<int>> GetChapters(string chapterSelections)
         Dictionary<string, List<int>> chaptersPerBook = new Dictionary<string, List<int>>();
         chapterSelections = chapterSelections.Trim();
 
+        if (chapterSelections.Length == 0)
+        {
+            return chaptersPerBook;
+        }
+
         char delimiter = ';';
         if (chapterSelections.Contains(';'))
         {
diff --git a/tests/SIL.Machine.Tests/Scripture/ScriptureRangeParserTests.cs b/tests/SIL.Machine.Tests/Scripture/ScriptureRangeParserTests.cs
index efc597b01..13da8cabb 100644
--- a/tests/SIL.Machine.Tests/Scripture/ScriptureRangeParserTests.cs
+++ b/tests/SIL.Machine.Tests/Scripture/ScriptureRangeParserTests.cs
@@ -177,6 +177,7 @@ public static IEnumerable<TestCaseData> GetCases()
             new Dictionary<string, List<int>> { { "JHN", new List<int>() } },
             false
         );
+        yield return new TestCaseData("", new Dictionary<string, List<int>>(), false);
 
         //*Throw exceptions
         yield return new TestCaseData("MAT3-1", new Dictionary<string, List<int>>(), true);
@@ -185,7 +186,6 @@ public static IEnumerable<TestCaseData> GetCases()
         yield return new TestCaseData("MAT0-10", new Dictionary<string, List<int>>(), true);
         yield return new TestCaseData("MAT-FLUM", new Dictionary<string, List<int>>(), true);
         yield return new TestCaseData("-MAT-FLUM", new Dictionary<string, List<int>>(), true);
-        yield return new TestCaseData("", new Dictionary<string, List<int>>(), true);
         yield return new TestCaseData("ABC", new Dictionary<string, List<int>>(), true);
         yield return new TestCaseData("MAT-ABC", new Dictionary<string, List<int>>(), true);
         yield return new TestCaseData("NT;-ABC-LUK", new Dictionary<string, List<int>>(), true);