diff --git a/src/gui/painting/qstroker.cpp b/src/gui/painting/qstroker.cpp
index ddf828982a..1201a481b6 100644
--- a/src/gui/painting/qstroker.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/painting/qstroker.cpp
@@ -756,7 +756,9 @@ template <class Iterator> bool qt_stroke_side(Iterator *it,
 #ifdef QPP_STROKE_DEBUG
         qDebug("\n ---> (side) closed subpath");
 #endif
-        stroker->joinPoints(prev.x, prev.y, *startTangent, stroker->joinStyleMode());
+        // don't join empty subpaths
+        if (!first)
+            stroker->joinPoints(prev.x, prev.y, *startTangent, stroker->joinStyleMode());
         return true;
     } else {
 #ifdef QPP_STROKE_DEBUG