diff --git a/zic.c b/zic.c
index 52b45ad..f372cf8 100644
--- a/zic.c
+++ b/zic.c
@@ -703,7 +703,7 @@ namecheck(const char *name)
 				name, c);
 			return;
 		}
-		if (c == '/') {
+		if (cp != name && c == '/') {
 			componentcheck(name, component, cp);
 			component = cp + 1;
 		}