diff --git a/lib/src/util.dart b/lib/src/util.dart
index 8f3d5de..4a0db21 100644
--- a/lib/src/util.dart
+++ b/lib/src/util.dart
@@ -28,6 +28,9 @@ String make_string(List<int> seq) {
 // Special version to deal with the code in the first 8 bytes of a user comment.
 // First 8 bytes gives coding system e.g. ASCII vs. JIS vs Unicode.
 String make_string_uc(List<int> seq) {
+  if (seq.length <= 8) {
+    return "";
+  }
   seq = seq.sublist(8);
   // Of course, this is only correct if ASCII, and the standard explicitly
   // allows JIS and Unicode.
diff --git a/test/util_test.dart b/test/util_test.dart
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c7c44a2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/util_test.dart
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+
+import "package:test/test.dart";
+import 'package:exif/src/util.dart';
+
+void main() {
+  test("make_string_uc", () {
+    expect(make_string_uc([]), equals(""));
+    expect(make_string_uc([1,2,3,4,5,6,7]), equals(""));
+    expect(make_string_uc([1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10]), equals("[9, 10]"));
+    expect(make_string_uc([1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10]), equals("[9, 10]"));
+    expect(make_string_uc([1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,97,98,99]), equals("abc"));
+  });
+}