diff --git a/scripts/kconfig/lxdialog/menubox.c b/scripts/kconfig/lxdialog/menubox.c
index 48d382e7e374..38cd69c5660e 100644
--- a/scripts/kconfig/lxdialog/menubox.c
+++ b/scripts/kconfig/lxdialog/menubox.c
@@ -303,10 +303,11 @@ int dialog_menu(const char *title, const char *prompt,
 				}
 		}
 
-		if (i < max_choice ||
-		    key == KEY_UP || key == KEY_DOWN ||
-		    key == '-' || key == '+' ||
-		    key == KEY_PPAGE || key == KEY_NPAGE) {
+		if (item_count() != 0 &&
+		    (i < max_choice ||
+		     key == KEY_UP || key == KEY_DOWN ||
+		     key == '-' || key == '+' ||
+		     key == KEY_PPAGE || key == KEY_NPAGE)) {
 			/* Remove highligt of current item */
 			print_item(scroll + choice, choice, FALSE);
 
diff --git a/scripts/kconfig/mconf.c b/scripts/kconfig/mconf.c
index 387dc8daf7b2..a69cbd78fb38 100644
--- a/scripts/kconfig/mconf.c
+++ b/scripts/kconfig/mconf.c
@@ -670,11 +670,12 @@ static void conf(struct menu *menu, struct menu *active_menu)
 				  active_menu, &s_scroll);
 		if (res == 1 || res == KEY_ESC || res == -ERRDISPLAYTOOSMALL)
 			break;
-		if (!item_activate_selected())
-			continue;
-		if (!item_tag())
-			continue;
-
+		if (item_count() != 0) {
+			if (!item_activate_selected())
+				continue;
+			if (!item_tag())
+				continue;
+		}
 		submenu = item_data();
 		active_menu = item_data();
 		if (submenu)