diff --git a/src/normal.cc b/src/normal.cc
index c0dabd44..282d18e6 100644
--- a/src/normal.cc
+++ b/src/normal.cc
@@ -1011,7 +1011,7 @@ void select_object(Context& context, NormalParams params)
                         return;
 
                     Vector<String> params = split(cmdline, ',', '\\');
-                    if (params.size() != 2)
+                    if (params.size() != 2 or params[0].empty() or params[1].empty())
                         throw runtime_error{"desc parsing failed, expected <open>,<close>"};
 
                     select_and_set_last<mode>(
diff --git a/test/regression/993-user-text-object/cmd b/test/regression/993-user-text-object/cmd
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..55e4fb6d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/regression/993-user-text-object/cmd
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+<a-a>:,,<ret>
diff --git a/test/regression/993-user-text-object/in b/test/regression/993-user-text-object/in
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8b137891
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/regression/993-user-text-object/in
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+
diff --git a/test/regression/993-user-text-object/out b/test/regression/993-user-text-object/out
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8b137891
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/regression/993-user-text-object/out
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+