diff --git a/server/stree/stree.go b/server/stree/stree.go
index a289a629742..828631888f9 100644
--- a/server/stree/stree.go
+++ b/server/stree/stree.go
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@ func (t *SubjectTree[T]) delete(np *node, subject []byte, si int) (*T, bool) {
 func (t *SubjectTree[T]) match(n node, parts [][]byte, pre []byte, cb func(subject []byte, val *T)) {
 	// Capture if we are sitting on a terminal fwc.
 	var hasFWC bool
-	if lp := len(parts); lp > 0 && parts[lp-1][0] == fwc {
+	if lp := len(parts); lp > 0 && len(parts[lp-1]) > 0 && parts[lp-1][0] == fwc {
 		hasFWC = true
 	}
 
diff --git a/server/stree/stree_test.go b/server/stree/stree_test.go
index 2a84d3c7598..cf6d08512b9 100644
--- a/server/stree/stree_test.go
+++ b/server/stree/stree_test.go
@@ -842,3 +842,15 @@ func TestSubjectTreeInsertWithNoPivot(t *testing.T) {
 	require_False(t, updated)
 	require_Equal(t, st.Size(), 0)
 }
+
+// Make sure we don't panic when checking for fwc.
+func TestSubjectTreeMatchHasFWCNoPanic(t *testing.T) {
+	defer func() {
+		p := recover()
+		require_True(t, p == nil)
+	}()
+	st := NewSubjectTree[int]()
+	subj := []byte("foo")
+	st.Insert(subj, 1)
+	st.Match([]byte("."), func(subject []byte, val *int) {})
+}