diff --git a/protocols/clientbot.py b/protocols/clientbot.py
index 05c62d5..728cdc3 100644
--- a/protocols/clientbot.py
+++ b/protocols/clientbot.py
@@ -742,7 +742,7 @@ class ClientbotWrapperProtocol(ClientbotBaseProtocol, IRCCommonProtocol):
 
         # N.B. only split on spaces because of color in hosts nonsense...
         # str.split() by default treats \x1f as whitespace
-        for name in args[-1].split(' '):
+        for name in args[-1].strip().split(' '):
             nick = name.lstrip(prefixes)
 
             # Handle userhost-in-names where available.
@@ -754,6 +754,9 @@ class ClientbotWrapperProtocol(ClientbotBaseProtocol, IRCCommonProtocol):
                     log.exception('(%s) Failed to split hostmask %r from /names reply on %s; args=%s', self.name, nick, channel, args)
                     # If error, leave nick unsplit
 
+            if not nick:
+                continue
+
             # Get the PUID for the given nick. If one doesn't exist, spawn
             # a new virtual user.
             idsource = self._get_UID(nick, ident=ident, host=host)