diff --git a/poppler/TextOutputDev.cc b/poppler/TextOutputDev.cc
index 85a9dbf..c408f52 100644
--- a/poppler/TextOutputDev.cc
+++ b/poppler/TextOutputDev.cc
@@ -3807,6 +3807,10 @@ void TextLine::visitSelection(TextSelectionVisitor *visitor,
     }
   }
 
+  /* Skip selection with no hit in "words" */
+  if (begin == NULL)
+    return;
+
   if (!current)
     current = begin;