diff --git a/footnotes_views_handler_field_body_footnotes.inc b/footnotes_views_handler_field_body_footnotes.inc
index 83da6c0..f00ee47 100644
--- a/footnotes_views_handler_field_body_footnotes.inc
+++ b/footnotes_views_handler_field_body_footnotes.inc
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@ class footnotes_views_handler_field_body_footnotes extends footnotes_views_handl
       // $data = substr($data, $start, $end);
       $data = substr($data, $start);
     }
+    else {
+      // there is no footnote
+      $data = '';
+    }
     return $data;
   }