diff --git a/machine/corpora/usfm_text_base.py b/machine/corpora/usfm_text_base.py
index c286c001..9afc6c16 100644
--- a/machine/corpora/usfm_text_base.py
+++ b/machine/corpora/usfm_text_base.py
@@ -178,6 +178,8 @@ def end_note(self, state: UsfmParserState, marker: str, closed: bool) -> None:
 
     def opt_break(self, state: UsfmParserState) -> None:
         super().opt_break(state)
+        if len(self._row_texts_stack) == 0:
+            return
         if self._text._include_markers:
             self._row_texts_stack[-1] += "//"
         elif self._current_text_type != ScriptureTextType.VERSE or state.is_verse_text:
diff --git a/tests/corpora/test_usfm_memory_text.py b/tests/corpora/test_usfm_memory_text.py
index 37b87563..367ec721 100644
--- a/tests/corpora/test_usfm_memory_text.py
+++ b/tests/corpora/test_usfm_memory_text.py
@@ -136,6 +136,22 @@ def test_get_rows_verse_para_comment_first() -> None:
     assert len(rows) == 2, str.join(",", [tr.text for tr in rows])
 
 
+def test_get_rows_opt_break_outside_of_segment() -> None:
+    rows: List[TextRow] = get_rows(
+        r"""\id MAT - Test
+\c 1
+//
+\p
+\v 1 This is the first verse.
+""",
+        include_all_text=True,
+        include_markers=True,
+    )
+    assert len(rows) == 2, str.join(",", [tr.text for tr in rows])
+    assert rows[0].text == ""
+    assert rows[1].text == "This is the first verse."
+
+
 def get_rows(usfm: str, include_markers: bool = False, include_all_text: bool = False) -> List[TextRow]:
     text = UsfmMemoryText(
         UsfmStylesheet("usfm.sty"),