diff --git a/src/if_py_both.h b/src/if_py_both.h
index 6907494..eae3894 100644
--- a/src/if_py_both.h
+++ b/src/if_py_both.h
@@ -34,7 +34,12 @@
     PyObject	*dictkey_todecref;
 #define DICTKEY_GET(err) \
     if (!(key = StringToChars(keyObject, &dictkey_todecref))) \
-	return err;
+	return err; \
+    if (*key == NUL) \
+    { \
+	PyErr_SetString(PyExc_ValueError, _("empty keys are not allowed")); \
+	return err; \
+    }
 #define DICTKEY_UNREF \
     Py_XDECREF(dictkey_todecref);
 
@@ -851,14 +856,6 @@
 
 static PyTypeObject DictionaryType;
 
-#define DICTKEY_GET_NOTEMPTY(err) \
-    DICTKEY_GET(err) \
-    if (*key == NUL) \
-    { \
-	PyErr_SetString(PyExc_ValueError, _("empty keys are not allowed")); \
-	return err; \
-    }
-
 typedef struct
 {
     PyObject_HEAD
@@ -950,7 +947,7 @@
     dictitem_T	*di;
     DICTKEY_DECL
 
-    DICTKEY_GET_NOTEMPTY(NULL)
+    DICTKEY_GET(NULL)
 
     di = dict_find(self->dict, key, -1);
 
@@ -980,7 +977,7 @@
 	return -1;
     }
 
-    DICTKEY_GET_NOTEMPTY(-1)
+    DICTKEY_GET(-1)
 
     di = dict_find(dict, key, -1);
 
@@ -1653,7 +1650,7 @@
     if (self->Check(self->from))
 	return NULL;
 
-    DICTKEY_GET_NOTEMPTY(NULL)
+    DICTKEY_GET(NULL)
 
     flags = get_option_value_strict(key, &numval, &stringval,
 				    self->opt_type, self->from);
@@ -1792,7 +1789,7 @@
     if (self->Check(self->from))
 	return -1;
 
-    DICTKEY_GET_NOTEMPTY(-1)
+    DICTKEY_GET(-1)
 
     flags = get_option_value_strict(key, NULL, NULL,
 				    self->opt_type, self->from);
@@ -4037,7 +4034,7 @@
 	if (valObject == NULL)
 	    return -1;
 
-	DICTKEY_GET_NOTEMPTY(-1)
+	DICTKEY_GET(-1)
 
 	di = dictitem_alloc(key);
 
@@ -4111,7 +4108,7 @@
 	    return -1;
 	}
 
-	DICTKEY_GET_NOTEMPTY(-1)
+	DICTKEY_GET(-1)
 
 	valObject = PyTuple_GetItem(litem, 1);
 	if (valObject == NULL)
diff --git a/src/version.c b/src/version.c
index 1ce4454..13a0ec2 100644
--- a/src/version.c
+++ b/src/version.c
@@ -729,6 +729,8 @@
 static int included_patches[] =
 {   /* Add new patch number below this line */
 /**/
+    1049,
+/**/
     1048,
 /**/
     1047,