diff --git a/plugins/MoobotFactoids.py b/plugins/MoobotFactoids.py
index 756fa3973..9d0899c2a 100644
--- a/plugins/MoobotFactoids.py
+++ b/plugins/MoobotFactoids.py
@@ -79,7 +79,12 @@ class OptionList(object):
             if not token:
                 raise SyntaxError, 'Missing ")"'
             elif token == ')':
-                return ret
+                if len(ret) > 1:
+                    return ret
+                elif len(ret) == 1:
+                        return '(%s)' % ret[0]
+                else:
+                    return '()'
             elif token == '(':
                 ret.append(self._insideParens(lexer))
             elif token == '|':
diff --git a/test/test_MoobotFactoids.py b/test/test_MoobotFactoids.py
index 51951ae14..bdcfdba53 100644
--- a/test/test_MoobotFactoids.py
+++ b/test/test_MoobotFactoids.py
@@ -37,6 +37,14 @@ except ImportError:
     sqlite = None
 
 if sqlite is not None:
+    MoobotFactoids = Owner.loadPluginModule('MoobotFactoids')
+    class OptionListTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
+        def testEmptyParens(self):
+            self.assertEqual(MoobotFactoids.tokenize('()'), ['()'])
+
+        def testNoBarParens(self):
+            self.assertEqual(MoobotFactoids.tokenize('(foo)'), ['(foo)'])
+
     class FactoidsTestCase(PluginTestCase, PluginDocumentation):
         plugins = ('MoobotFactoids', 'User', 'Utilities')
         def setUp(self):