diff --git a/src/main/org/hjson/HjsonParser.java b/src/main/org/hjson/HjsonParser.java
index d80226d..c7b18fb 100644
--- a/src/main/org/hjson/HjsonParser.java
+++ b/src/main/org/hjson/HjsonParser.java
@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ else if (current=='\'') {
         triple++;
         read();
         if (triple==3) {
-          if (sb.charAt(sb.length()-1)=='\n') sb.deleteCharAt(sb.length()-1);
+          if (sb.length() > 0 && sb.charAt(sb.length()-1)=='\n') sb.deleteCharAt(sb.length()-1);
 
           return sb.toString();
         }