diff --git a/ext/js/language/japanese-util.js b/ext/js/language/japanese-util.js
index 4d317396..861d66e8 100644
--- a/ext/js/language/japanese-util.js
+++ b/ext/js/language/japanese-util.js
@@ -531,7 +531,7 @@ const JapaneseUtil = (() => {
         _segmentizeFurigana(reading, readingNormalized, groups, groupsStart) {
             const groupCount = groups.length - groupsStart;
             if (groupCount <= 0) {
-                return [];
+                return reading.length === 0 ? [] : null;
             }
 
             const group = groups[groupsStart];
diff --git a/test/test-japanese.js b/test/test-japanese.js
index 1a4fc494..e9fb9c90 100644
--- a/test/test-japanese.js
+++ b/test/test-japanese.js
@@ -707,6 +707,13 @@ function testDistributeFurigana() {
                 {text: 'サボ', furigana: ''},
                 {text: 'る', furigana: 'ル'}
             ]
+        ],
+        // Reading starts with expression, but has remainder characters
+        [
+            ['シック', 'シック・ビルしょうこうぐん'],
+            [
+                {text: 'シック', furigana: 'シック・ビルしょうこうぐん'}
+            ]
         ]
     ];