diff --git a/doc/fixes36.2 b/doc/fixes36.2
index 3d412d2ca..582b85c52 100644
--- a/doc/fixes36.2
+++ b/doc/fixes36.2
@@ -93,6 +93,8 @@ shop door repair which took place when hero was on another level only worked
 	correctly if a trap at the same spot was removed
 object scattering during shop wall repair was skipped if a trap at the same
 	spot was also being removed
+augmented death reason for "while helpless" was broken for record and logfile
+	(but still correct for xlogfile)
 
 
 Fixes to Post-3.6.1 Problems that Were Exposed Via git Repository
diff --git a/src/topten.c b/src/topten.c
index fbe6573cb..4652d42b2 100644
--- a/src/topten.c
+++ b/src/topten.c
@@ -130,7 +130,9 @@ boolean incl_helpless;
      */
     while (--siz > 0) {
         c = *kname++;
-        if (c == ',')
+        if (!c)
+            break;
+        else if (c == ',')
             c = ';';
         /* 'xlogfile' doesn't really need protection for '=', but
            fixrecord.awk for corrupted 3.6.0 'record' does (only