diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 341ee0523..704c53f0c 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 2006-05-09  Alex Roitman  <shura@gramps-project.org>
+	* src/GrampsDb/_WriteXML.py (write_object): Check whether path is
+	empty before removing leading slash.
 	* src/GrampsDb/_WriteGedcom.py: Bring to new API.
 	* src/plugins/ExportVCard.py: Bring to new API.
 	* src/plugins/ExportVCalendar.py: Bring to new API.
diff --git a/src/GrampsDb/_WriteXML.py b/src/GrampsDb/_WriteXML.py
index a3c67dae3..56086df57 100644
--- a/src/GrampsDb/_WriteXML.py
+++ b/src/GrampsDb/_WriteXML.py
@@ -976,7 +976,7 @@ class XmlWriter:
             desc_text = ''
         if self.strip_photos == 1:
             path = os.path.basename(path)
-        elif self.strip_photos == 2 and path[0] == '/':
+        elif self.strip_photos == 2 and (len(path)>0 and path[0]) == '/':
             path = path[1:]
                 
         self.g.write('%s<file src="%s" mime="%s"%s/>\n'