diff --git a/posix/wordexp-test.c b/posix/wordexp-test.c
index 8a312e0..7690360 100644
--- a/posix/wordexp-test.c
+++ b/posix/wordexp-test.c
@@ -232,6 +232,9 @@ struct test_case_struct
     { WRDE_CMDSUB, NULL, "$((1+`echo 1`))", WRDE_NOCMD, 0, { NULL, }, IFS },
     { WRDE_CMDSUB, NULL, "$((1+$((`echo 1`))))", WRDE_NOCMD, 0, { NULL, }, IFS },
 
+    /* BZ # 18043 */
+    { WRDE_SYNTAX, NULL, "${", 0, 0, { NULL, }, IFS },
+
     { -1, NULL, NULL, 0, 0, { NULL, }, IFS },
   };
 
diff --git a/posix/wordexp.c b/posix/wordexp.c
index e3d8d6b..1c14401 100644
--- a/posix/wordexp.c
+++ b/posix/wordexp.c
@@ -1299,7 +1299,7 @@ parse_param (char **word, size_t *word_length, size_t *max_length,
 	}
       while (isdigit(words[++*offset]));
     }
-  else if (strchr ("*@$", words[*offset]) != NULL)
+  else if (words[*offset] != '\0' && strchr ("*@$", words[*offset]) != NULL)
     {
       /* Special parameter. */
       special = 1;