diff --git a/src/sds.c b/src/sds.c
index 280f3ded8..a625c66b7 100644
--- a/src/sds.c
+++ b/src/sds.c
@@ -939,15 +939,13 @@ sds *sdssplitlen(const char *s, ssize_t len, const char *sep, int seplen, int *c
     long start = 0, j;
     sds *tokens;
 
-    if (seplen < 1 || len < 0) return NULL;
-
+    if (seplen < 1 || len <= 0) {
+        *count = 0;
+        return NULL;
+    }
     tokens = s_malloc(sizeof(sds)*slots);
     if (tokens == NULL) return NULL;
 
-    if (len == 0) {
-        *count = 0;
-        return tokens;
-    }
     for (j = 0; j < (len-(seplen-1)); j++) {
         /* make sure there is room for the next element and the final one */
         if (slots < elements+2) {