diff --git a/tree.go b/tree.go
index 7b1e008b..c354c44e 100644
--- a/tree.go
+++ b/tree.go
@@ -351,7 +351,10 @@ func (n *node) insertChild(path string, fullPath string, handlers HandlersChain)
 		}
 
 		if len(n.path) > 0 && n.path[len(n.path)-1] == '/' {
-			pathSeg := strings.SplitN(n.children[0].path, "/", 2)[0]
+			pathSeg := ""
+			if len(n.children) != 0 {
+				pathSeg = strings.SplitN(n.children[0].path, "/", 2)[0]
+			}
 			panic("catch-all wildcard '" + path +
 				"' in new path '" + fullPath +
 				"' conflicts with existing path segment '" + pathSeg +