diff --git a/rowbot b/rowbot
index e8a29b5..dfbb70b 100755
--- a/rowbot
+++ b/rowbot
@@ -954,7 +954,7 @@ factoids_cmd_ls() {
 }
 
 plugin_not_found_factoids() {
-  if [[ -f "${config[fact-root]}"/"${msg[to]}"/"$action" ]]; then
+  if [[ ${config[fact-root]} && -f ${config[fact-root]}/${msg[to]}/$action ]]; then
     # The exit status isn't important here.
     # shellcheck disable=SC2155
     local fact=$(<"${config[fact-root]}"/"${msg[to]}"/"$action")