diff --git a/src/Microsoft.PowerShell.ConsoleHost/host/msh/CommandLineParameterParser.cs b/src/Microsoft.PowerShell.ConsoleHost/host/msh/CommandLineParameterParser.cs
index f595080f6..e2695a7c8 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.PowerShell.ConsoleHost/host/msh/CommandLineParameterParser.cs
+++ b/src/Microsoft.PowerShell.ConsoleHost/host/msh/CommandLineParameterParser.cs
@@ -354,7 +354,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.PowerShell
                 switchKey = switchKey.Substring(1);
 
                 // chop off the second dash so we're agnostic wrt specifying - or --
-                if (SpecialCharacters.IsDash(switchKey[0]))
+                if (!String.IsNullOrEmpty(switchKey) && SpecialCharacters.IsDash(switchKey[0]))
                 {
                     switchKey = switchKey.Substring(1);
                 }