diff --git a/lib/Slic3r/Extruder.pm b/lib/Slic3r/Extruder.pm
index b04546971..83f422960 100644
--- a/lib/Slic3r/Extruder.pm
+++ b/lib/Slic3r/Extruder.pm
@@ -75,8 +75,11 @@ sub extrude_loop {
     # split the loop at the starting point and make a path
     my $extrusion_path = $loop->split_at($start_at);
     
-    # clip the path to avoid the extruder to get exactly on the first point of the loop
+    # clip the path to avoid the extruder to get exactly on the first point of the loop;
+    # if polyline was shorter than the clipping distance we'd get a null polyline, so
+    # we discard it in that case
     $extrusion_path->clip_end(scale $Slic3r::flow_width * 0.15);
+    return '' if !@{$extrusion_path->polyline};
     
     # extrude along the path
     return $self->extrude_path($extrusion_path, $description);
diff --git a/lib/Slic3r/ExtrusionPath.pm b/lib/Slic3r/ExtrusionPath.pm
index 750b9c5b6..6927cc0b0 100644
--- a/lib/Slic3r/ExtrusionPath.pm
+++ b/lib/Slic3r/ExtrusionPath.pm
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ use Slic3r::Geometry qw(PI X Y epsilon deg2rad rotate_points);
 has 'polyline' => (
     is          => 'ro',
     required    => 1,
-    handles     => [qw(merge_continuous_lines lines)],
+    handles     => [qw(merge_continuous_lines lines length)],
 );
 
 # this integer represents the vertical thickness of the extrusion
diff --git a/lib/Slic3r/Polyline.pm b/lib/Slic3r/Polyline.pm
index e7e886678..10084e81d 100644
--- a/lib/Slic3r/Polyline.pm
+++ b/lib/Slic3r/Polyline.pm
@@ -70,6 +70,13 @@ sub reverse {
     @$self = CORE::reverse @$self;
 }
 
+sub length {
+    my $self = shift;
+    my $length = 0;
+    $length += $_->length for $self->lines;
+    return $length;
+}
+
 sub nearest_point_to {
     my $self = shift;
     my ($point) = @_;