diff --git a/mach/proto/ncg/gencode.c b/mach/proto/ncg/gencode.c
index 1f84faf2..a1701820 100644
--- a/mach/proto/ncg/gencode.c
+++ b/mach/proto/ncg/gencode.c
@@ -84,8 +84,12 @@ string ad2str(ad) addr_t ad; {
 
 	if (ad.ea_str==0)
 		ad.ea_str="";
-	if (ad.ea_off==0)
-		return(mystrcpy(ad.ea_str));
+	if ((long)ad.ea_off==(long)0) {
+		if strcmp(ad.ea_str,"")
+			return(mystrcpy("0")); /* don't return empty string */
+		else
+			return(mystrcpy(ad.ea_str));
+	}
 	sprintf(buf,"%s%c%ld",ad.ea_str,ad.ea_off>=0 ? '+' : ' ',(long)ad.ea_off);
 	return(mystrcpy(buf));
 }