diff --git a/coreutils/echo.c b/coreutils/echo.c
index 1016d3876..11507b438 100644
--- a/coreutils/echo.c
+++ b/coreutils/echo.c
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ int bb_echo(char **argv)
 		nflag = 1,  /* 1 -- print '\n' */
 	};
 	arg = ++argv;
+	if (!arg)
+		goto newline_ret;
 #else
 	const char *p;
 	char nflag = 1;
@@ -107,9 +109,7 @@ int bb_echo(char **argv)
 		putchar(' ');
 	}
 
-#if ENABLE_FEATURE_FANCY_ECHO
  newline_ret:
-#endif
 	if (nflag) {
 		putchar('\n');
 	}