diff --git a/plageq.c b/plageq.c
index f76dd90..be0141a 100644
--- a/plageq.c
+++ b/plageq.c
@@ -195,8 +195,8 @@ int main(void) {
 			break;
 		}
 		int l = strlen(s);
+		if (l && s[l - 1] == '\n') s[--l] = 0;
 		if (!l) continue;
-		if (s[l - 1] == '\n') s[l - 1] = 0;
 		if (!strchr(s, ':')) {
 			// ipv4
 			ip42bits(s, b, &m);
diff --git a/plagmax.c b/plagmax.c
index 7c17bdd..4d6108b 100644
--- a/plagmax.c
+++ b/plagmax.c
@@ -175,8 +175,8 @@ int main(void) {
 			break;
 		}
 		int l = strlen(s);
+		if (l && s[l - 1] == '\n') s[--l] = 0;
 		if (!l) continue;
-		if (s[l - 1] == '\n') s[l - 1] = 0;
 		if (!strchr(s, ':')) {
 			// ipv4
 			ip42bits(s, b, &m);