diff --git a/lapack-netlib/SRC/ssytrf_rk.f b/lapack-netlib/SRC/ssytrf_rk.f
index ec84fcb1b..8e1ef460a 100644
--- a/lapack-netlib/SRC/ssytrf_rk.f
+++ b/lapack-netlib/SRC/ssytrf_rk.f
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@
 *        Determine the block size
 *
          NB = ILAENV( 1, 'SSYTRF_RK', UPLO, N, -1, -1, -1 )
-         LWKOPT = N*NB
+         LWKOPT = MAX( 1, N*NB )
          WORK( 1 ) = LWKOPT
       END IF
 *