diff --git a/src/lib/commands/map.c b/src/lib/commands/map.c
index ae995c29..cbce5548 100644
--- a/src/lib/commands/map.c
+++ b/src/lib/commands/map.c
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ map(void)
 	}
     }
 
-    if (player->argp[1] == NULL) {
+    if (!player->argp[1] || !*player->argp[1]) {
 	if (unit_type == EF_BAD) {
 	    str = getstring("(sects)? ", buf);
 	} else {
diff --git a/src/lib/subs/maps.c b/src/lib/subs/maps.c
index b109b453..0f247595 100644
--- a/src/lib/subs/maps.c
+++ b/src/lib/subs/maps.c
@@ -76,7 +76,14 @@ do_map(int bmap, int unit_type, char *arg, char *map_flags_arg)
     char *b;
     int map_flags = 0;
 
-    if (!snxtsct(&ns, arg)) {
+    switch (sarg_type(arg)) {
+    case NS_DIST:
+    case NS_AREA:
+    case NS_ALL:
+	if (!snxtsct(&ns, arg))
+	    return RET_SYN;
+	break;
+    default:
 	if (unit_map(unit_type, atoi(arg), &ns, &origin))
 	    return RET_FAIL;
     }