diff --git a/Dalamud/Dalamud.cs b/Dalamud/Dalamud.cs
index 105657bc2..249cf8b79 100644
--- a/Dalamud/Dalamud.cs
+++ b/Dalamud/Dalamud.cs
@@ -502,6 +502,11 @@ namespace Dalamud {
             if (this.Configuration.BadWords == null)
                 this.Configuration.BadWords = new List<string>();
 
+            if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(arguments)) {
+                Framework.Gui.Chat.Print(Loc.Localize("DalamudMuteNoArgs", "Please provide a word to mute."));
+                return;
+            }
+
             this.Configuration.BadWords.Add(arguments);
 
             this.Configuration.Save();
diff --git a/Dalamud/Game/ChatHandlers.cs b/Dalamud/Game/ChatHandlers.cs
index 8ac099093..f50849431 100644
--- a/Dalamud/Game/ChatHandlers.cs
+++ b/Dalamud/Game/ChatHandlers.cs
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ namespace Dalamud.Game {
 
 
             if (this.dalamud.Configuration.BadWords != null &&
-                this.dalamud.Configuration.BadWords.Any(x => textVal.Contains(x)))
+                this.dalamud.Configuration.BadWords.Any(x => !string.IsNullOrEmpty(x) && textVal.Contains(x)))
             {
                 // This seems to be in the user block list - let's not show it
                 Log.Debug("Blocklist triggered");