diff --git a/symmetric-core/src/main/java/org/jumpmind/symmetric/db/AbstractTriggerTemplate.java b/symmetric-core/src/main/java/org/jumpmind/symmetric/db/AbstractTriggerTemplate.java
index 6ff19e681a..b3296ed976 100644
--- a/symmetric-core/src/main/java/org/jumpmind/symmetric/db/AbstractTriggerTemplate.java
+++ b/symmetric-core/src/main/java/org/jumpmind/symmetric/db/AbstractTriggerTemplate.java
@@ -673,7 +673,8 @@ protected String buildColumnNameString(String tableAlias, boolean quote, Trigger
             }
             columnsText.append(",");
         }
-        return columnsText.substring(0, columnsText.length() - 1);
+        
+        return columnsText.length() > 0 ? columnsText.substring(0, columnsText.length() - 1) : columnsText.toString();
     }
 
     protected ColumnString buildColumnsString(String origTableAlias, String tableAlias,