diff --git a/dist/string.js b/dist/string.js
index 683b38a..bb79ad7 100644
--- a/dist/string.js
+++ b/dist/string.js
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ string.js - Copyright (C) 2012-2014, JP Richardson <jprichardson@gmail.com>
       var s = this.s;
       var startPos = s.indexOf(left);
       var endPos = s.indexOf(right, startPos + left.length);
-      if (endPos == -1 && right != null)
+      if ((endPos == -1 && right != null) || (startPos == -1)) // return null string even if left string is not found
         return new this.constructor('')
       else if (endPos == -1 && right == null)
         return new this.constructor(s.substring(startPos + left.length))
@@ -1181,4 +1181,4 @@ string.js - Copyright (C) 2012-2014, JP Richardson <jprichardson@gmail.com>
 
 },{"./_count":1,"./_splitLeft":2,"./_splitRight":3}]},{},[4])
 (4)
-});
\ No newline at end of file
+});