diff --git a/src/postprocess/fieldsplit/fieldsplit.c b/src/postprocess/fieldsplit/fieldsplit.c
index b8d9fcf..68c4338 100644
--- a/src/postprocess/fieldsplit/fieldsplit.c
+++ b/src/postprocess/fieldsplit/fieldsplit.c
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 /*   By: khais <marvin@42.fr>                       +#+  +:+       +#+        */
 /*                                                +#+#+#+#+#+   +#+           */
 /*   Created: 2025/04/03 15:48:52 by khais             #+#    #+#             */
-/*   Updated: 2025/04/21 11:56:26 by khais            ###   ########.fr       */
+/*   Updated: 2025/04/25 14:27:56 by khais            ###   ########.fr       */
 /*                                                                            */
 /* ************************************************************************** */
 
@@ -28,11 +28,19 @@ static void	fieldsplit_delimit(t_buffer *word, t_buffer *marker,
 {
 	t_worddesc	*out;
 
-	out = worddesc_create(word->buffer, original->flags, marker->buffer,
-			WORD_TOKEN);
-	(*outlist) = wordlist_push(*outlist, out);
-	free(word);
-	free(marker);
+	if (ft_strlen(word->buffer) > 0)
+	{
+		out = worddesc_create(word->buffer, original->flags, marker->buffer,
+				WORD_TOKEN);
+		(*outlist) = wordlist_push(*outlist, out);
+		free(word);
+		free(marker);
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		ft_buffer_free(word);
+		ft_buffer_free(marker);
+	}
 }
 
 t_wordlist	*minishell_fieldsplit(t_worddesc *original,
diff --git a/test.sh b/test.sh
index ee31bc7..669828d 100755
--- a/test.sh
+++ b/test.sh
@@ -1096,4 +1096,28 @@ expecting <<EOF
 the answer is 42
 EOF
 
+when_run <<"EOF" "quote removal before word splitting"
+export VAR="hello "
+echo $VAR | cat -e
+EOF
+expecting <<"EOF"
+hello$
+EOF
+
+when_run <<"EOF" "quote removal before word splitting"
+export VAR="    hello    world     "
+echo -$VAR- | cat -e
+EOF
+expecting <<"EOF"
+- hello world -$
+EOF
+
+when_run <<"EOF" "quote removal before word splitting"
+export VAR="    hello    world     "
+echo "-$VAR-" | cat -e
+EOF
+expecting <<"EOF"
+-    hello    world     -$
+EOF
+
 finalize