diff --git a/formatter/formatter_test.go b/formatter/formatter_test.go
index 36bfb03c8..3d1600698 100644
--- a/formatter/formatter_test.go
+++ b/formatter/formatter_test.go
@@ -3,13 +3,14 @@ package formatter
 import (
 	"flag"
 	"fmt"
-	"github.com/google/go-jsonnet/internal/testutils"
 	"io"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"regexp"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/google/go-jsonnet/internal/testutils"
 )
 
 var update = flag.Bool("update", false, "update .golden files")
@@ -42,7 +43,7 @@ func runTest(t *testing.T, test *formatterTest, changedGoldensList *ChangedGolde
 
 	input := read(test.input)
 	var outBuilder strings.Builder
-	output, err := Format(test.name, string(input), Options{})
+	output, err := Format(test.name, string(input), DefaultOptions())
 	if err != nil {
 		errWriter := ErrorWriter{
 			Writer:      &outBuilder,
diff --git a/formatter/testdata/empty_comment.fmt.golden b/formatter/testdata/empty_comment.fmt.golden
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..13e494310
--- /dev/null
+++ b/formatter/testdata/empty_comment.fmt.golden
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+//
+{}
diff --git a/formatter/testdata/empty_comment.jsonnet b/formatter/testdata/empty_comment.jsonnet
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..447077299
--- /dev/null
+++ b/formatter/testdata/empty_comment.jsonnet
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+#
+{}
diff --git a/internal/formatter/enforce_comment_style.go b/internal/formatter/enforce_comment_style.go
index f508e9a5c..f8302a681 100644
--- a/internal/formatter/enforce_comment_style.go
+++ b/internal/formatter/enforce_comment_style.go
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ func (c *EnforceCommentStyle) FodderElement(p pass.ASTPass, element *ast.FodderE
 				*comment = "#" + (*comment)[2:]
 			}
 			if c.Options.CommentStyle == CommentStyleSlash && (*comment)[0] == '#' {
-				if !c.seenFirstFodder && (*comment)[1] == '!' {
+				if !c.seenFirstFodder && len(*comment) > 1 && (*comment)[1] == '!' {
 					return
 				}
 				*comment = "//" + (*comment)[1:]