diff --git a/lib/ansible/utils/template.py b/lib/ansible/utils/template.py
index d5824e8852f..fd3c48af5cc 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/utils/template.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/utils/template.py
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ def _legacy_varFindLimitSpace(basedir, vars, space, part, lookup_fatal, depth, e
     if space is None:
         return space
     # A part with escaped .s in it is compounded by { and }, remove them
-    if part[0] == '{' and part[-1] == '}':
+    if len(part) > 0 and part[0] == '{' and part[-1] == '}':
         part = part[1:-1]
     # Template part to resolve variables within (${var$var2})
     part = legacy_varReplace(basedir, part, vars, lookup_fatal=lookup_fatal, depth=depth + 1, expand_lists=expand_lists)