diff --git a/src/delegator.cpp b/src/delegator.cpp
index 112ee248cdb9934e242237fe20eda6af67bca26c..142fea775c46ff5f3afb7ca29b3a631e9fbb4675 100644
--- a/src/delegator.cpp
+++ b/src/delegator.cpp
@@ -160,7 +160,8 @@ void Delegator::RegionStopLast(){
     break;
   case NestingMode::Detection:
   case NestingMode::ProperlyNested:
-    const std::string& last_region_name = name_stack_.top();
+    const std::string stack_empty="NESMIK: STACK EMPTPY";
+    const std::string& last_region_name = name_stack_.empty() ? stack_empty: name_stack_.top();
     pn_annotation_strategy_->RegionStopLast({last_region_name,name_stack_});
     if(!name_stack_.empty()) {name_stack_.pop();}
     break;