--- plplot-5.9.1/plplot_test/test_octave.sh.in.octave	2009-01-13 20:49:22.000000000 -0700
+++ plplot-5.9.1/plplot_test/test_octave.sh.in	2009-01-13 21:21:38.000000000 -0700
@@ -82,7 +82,8 @@
 		if (verbose_test)
 		    printf("%s\n",cmd);
 		    endif
-		    t = split("$options", "-"); t(1,:)="";
+		    t = split("$options", "-");
+                    if (t); t(1,:)=""; endif;
 		    for j=1:rows(t)
 		    tt = deblank (t(j,:)); len = length(tt);
 		    ix = index(tt," ");