diff --git a/lib/haml/exec.rb b/lib/haml/exec.rb
index de9fca38e2..22367731ef 100644
--- a/lib/haml/exec.rb
+++ b/lib/haml/exec.rb
@@ -338,7 +338,7 @@ def process_result
 
       def validate_ruby(code)
         begin
-          eval("BEGIN {return nil}; #{code}", binding, @options[:filename])
+          eval("BEGIN {return nil}; #{code}", binding, @options[:filename] || "")
         rescue ::SyntaxError # Not to be confused with Haml::SyntaxError
           $!
         end