diff --git a/core/AlertEvaluator.cpp b/core/AlertEvaluator.cpp
index abdf3714..70647fc1 100644
--- a/core/AlertEvaluator.cpp
+++ b/core/AlertEvaluator.cpp
@@ -343,11 +343,11 @@ bool AlertRule::match(const DxSpot &spot) const
          && (sourceMap & SpotAlert::DXSPOT)
          && (dxCountry == 0 || dxCountry == spot.dxcc.dxcc)
          && (spot.status & dxLogStatusMap)
-         && (mode == "*" || mode.contains("|" + spot.modeGroupString))
+         && (mode == "*" || (!spot.modeGroupString.isEmpty() && mode.contains("|" + spot.modeGroupString)))
          && (band == "*" || (!spot.band.isEmpty() && band.contains("|" + spot.band)))
          && (spotterCountry == 0 || spotterCountry == spot.dxcc_spotter.dxcc )
-         && (dxContinent == "*" || dxContinent.contains("|" + spot.dxcc.cont))
-         && (spotterContinent == "*" || spotterContinent.contains("|" + spot.dxcc_spotter.cont))
+         && (dxContinent == "*" || (!spot.dxcc.cont.isEmpty() && dxContinent.contains("|" + spot.dxcc.cont)))
+         && (spotterContinent == "*" || (!spot.dxcc_spotter.cont.isEmpty() && spotterContinent.contains("|" + spot.dxcc_spotter.cont)))
          && (dxMember == QStringList("*") || spot.memberList2Set().intersects(dxMemberSet))
        )
     {