diff --git a/src/mod/event_handlers/mod_event_socket/mod_event_socket.c b/src/mod/event_handlers/mod_event_socket/mod_event_socket.c
index 13d64ec744..8e72db53bc 100644
--- a/src/mod/event_handlers/mod_event_socket/mod_event_socket.c
+++ b/src/mod/event_handlers/mod_event_socket/mod_event_socket.c
@@ -1720,7 +1720,7 @@ static switch_status_t parse_command(listener_t *listener, switch_event_t **even
 			switch_event_create_plain(&listener->filters, SWITCH_EVENT_CHANNEL_DATA);
 		}
 		
-		if (!strcasecmp(header_name, "delete")) {
+		if (!strcasecmp(header_name, "delete") && header_val) {
 			header_name = header_val;
 			if ((header_val = strchr(header_name, ' '))) {
 				*header_val++ = '\0';