--- rxvt-unicode/src/main.C	2006/01/06 02:11:15	1.163
+++ rxvt-unicode/src/main.C	2006/01/08 00:20:12	1.165
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
  * Copyright (c) 1997,1998 Oezguer Kesim <kesim@math.fu-berlin.de>
  * Copyright (c) 1998-2001 Geoff Wing <gcw@pobox.com>
  *                              - extensive modifications
- * Copyright (c) 2003-2004 Marc Lehmann <pcg@goof.com>
+ * Copyright (c) 2003-2006 Marc Lehmann <pcg@goof.com>
  *
  * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
  * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
@@ -489,6 +489,9 @@
 #endif
 
 #if ENABLE_PERL
+  if (!rs[Rs_perl_ext_1])
+    rs[Rs_perl_ext_1] = "default";
+
   if ((rs[Rs_perl_ext_1] && *rs[Rs_perl_ext_1])
       || (rs[Rs_perl_ext_2] && *rs[Rs_perl_ext_2])
       || (rs[Rs_perl_eval] && *rs[Rs_perl_eval]))