diff --git a/src/init.c b/src/init.c
index e1d1d46e..db336946 100644
--- a/src/init.c
+++ b/src/init.c
@@ -926,7 +926,12 @@ static void InitializeVar(char const *str)
     r = 0;
     while (*str && *str != '=') {
 	if (r < VAR_NAME_LEN) {
-	    varname[r++] = *str;
+            if (isalpha(*str) || *str == '_' || (r > 0 && *str == '(') || (r == 0 && *str == '$') || (r > 0 && isdigit(*str))) {
+                varname[r++] = *str;
+            } else {
+                fprintf(ErrFp, ErrMsg[M_I_OPTION], ErrMsg[E_ILLEGAL_CHAR]);
+                return;
+            }
 	}
 	if (*str == '(') {
 	    /* Do a function definition if we see a paren */
diff --git a/src/userfns.c b/src/userfns.c
index 921360f7..a8a27788 100644
--- a/src/userfns.c
+++ b/src/userfns.c
@@ -201,6 +201,13 @@ int DoFset(ParsePtr p)
 	return E_PARSE_ERR;
     }
 
+    while(*(p->pos) && isspace(*(p->pos))) {
+        p->pos++;
+    }
+    if (!*(p->pos)) {
+        DestroyUserFunc(func);
+        return E_EOLN;
+    }
     func->text = StrDup(p->pos);
     if (!func->text) {
 	DestroyUserFunc(func);