diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 7e3d4e2..cd9a39e 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -4763,3 +4763,7 @@ disk.
 Also fixed a problem where PrintScreen would cause Eterm to exit.
 Pointed out by Laurence J. Lane <ljlane@debian.org>.
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+Thu Jul 11 20:03:23 2002                        Michael Jennings (mej)
+
+Each side of an || must have a valid shell command.
+----------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/src/libscream.c b/src/libscream.c
index c881871..57432dd 100644
--- a/src/libscream.c
+++ b/src/libscream.c
@@ -1006,7 +1006,7 @@ ns_make_call(_ns_sess * sess)
         int r, l = strlen(NS_SCREEM_CALL) + (scream ? strlen(scream) : 0) + (screen ? strlen(screen) : 0) - 3;
 
         if ((screem = MALLOC(l))) {
-            r = snprintf(screem, l, NS_SCREEM_CALL, scream ? scream : "", screen ? screen : "");
+            r = snprintf(screem, l, NS_SCREEM_CALL, scream ? scream : ":", screen ? screen : ":");
 #ifdef NS_PARANOID
             if ((r < 0) || (r > l))
                 ns_free(&screem);