diff --git a/src/spice.awk b/src/spice.awk
index 44af2c1b..e78085c9 100755
--- a/src/spice.awk
+++ b/src/spice.awk
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ BEGIN{
  first=1
  user_code=0 #20180129
 
- while( ARGV[1] ~ /^[-]/) {
+ while( (ARGV[1] ~ /^[-]/) || (ARGV[1] ~ /^$/) ) {
    if(ARGV[1] == "-hspice") hspice = 1
    if(ARGV[1] == "-xyce") { xyce = 1} 
    for(i=2; i<= ARGC;i++) {