diff --git a/ldms/src/ldmsd/ldmsd_request.c b/ldms/src/ldmsd/ldmsd_request.c
index 61e782061..9db67bee9 100644
--- a/ldms/src/ldmsd/ldmsd_request.c
+++ b/ldms/src/ldmsd/ldmsd_request.c
@@ -4425,9 +4425,11 @@ static int plugn_sets_handler(ldmsd_req_ctxt_t reqc)
 	rc = ldmsd_append_reply(reqc, "[", 1, 0);
 	if (rc)
 		goto out;
-	rc = ldmsd_append_reply(reqc, reqc->line_buf, reqc->line_off, 0);
-	if (rc)
-		goto out;
+	if (reqc->line_off) {
+		rc = ldmsd_append_reply(reqc, reqc->line_buf, reqc->line_off, 0);
+		if (rc)
+			goto out;
+	}
 	rc = ldmsd_append_reply(reqc, "]", 1, 0);
 	if (rc)
 		goto out;