diff --git a/src/libfsm/gen.c b/src/libfsm/gen.c
index 26a77be1c..e0ac429dd 100644
--- a/src/libfsm/gen.c
+++ b/src/libfsm/gen.c
@@ -147,6 +147,10 @@ fsm_generate_matches(struct fsm *fsm, size_t max_length,
 		return 0;
 	}
 
+	if (!fsm_has(fsm, fsm_isend)) {
+		return 1;	/* no end state -> nothing to do */
+	}
+
 	INIT_TIMERS();
 	TIME(&pre);
 	int res = gen_init_outer(fsm, max_length, cb, opaque, false, 0);