diff --git a/src/main/python/ttconv/srt/reader.py b/src/main/python/ttconv/srt/reader.py
index 5b1b89eb..747cd25f 100644
--- a/src/main/python/ttconv/srt/reader.py
+++ b/src/main/python/ttconv/srt/reader.py
@@ -285,6 +285,7 @@ def to_model(data_file: typing.IO, _config: SRTReaderConfiguration = None, progr
         int(m.group('end_ms')) / 1000
         )
 
+      subtitle_text = None
       state = _State.TEXT
 
       continue
@@ -292,6 +293,12 @@ def to_model(data_file: typing.IO, _config: SRTReaderConfiguration = None, progr
     if state in (_State.TEXT, _State.TEXT_MORE):
 
       if line is None or _EMPTY_RE.fullmatch(line):
+        state = _State.COUNTER
+
+        if subtitle_text is None:
+          LOGGER.warning("Ignoring cue due to a spurious blank line at line %s", line_index)
+          continue
+
         subtitle_text = subtitle_text.strip('\r\n').replace(r"\n\r", "\n")
 
         # Extract and handle alignment tags if enabled
@@ -328,7 +335,6 @@ def to_model(data_file: typing.IO, _config: SRTReaderConfiguration = None, progr
         parser.feed(subtitle_text)
         parser.close()
 
-        state = _State.COUNTER
         continue
 
       if state is _State.TEXT:
diff --git a/src/test/python/test_srt_reader.py b/src/test/python/test_srt_reader.py
index e1c3f9df..0f57b354 100644
--- a/src/test/python/test_srt_reader.py
+++ b/src/test/python/test_srt_reader.py
@@ -333,6 +333,18 @@ def test_single_line_text(self):
     self.assertIsInstance(p_children[0], model.Span)
     self.assertEqual(p_children[0].first_child().get_text(), "Hello")
 
+  def test_spurious_emtpy_line(self):
+    f = io.StringIO(r"""1
+101:00:00,000 --> 101:00:01,000
+
+2
+101:00:00,000 --> 101:00:01,000
+Bonjour
+""")
+    doc = to_model(f)
+    self.assertIsNotNone(doc)
+    self.assertEqual(len(doc.get_body()), 1)
+
   def test_multiline_text(self):
     f = io.StringIO(r"""1
 101:00:00,000 --> 101:00:01,000