diff --git a/docs/documentation/building_a_simulation/Model-Source-Code.md b/docs/documentation/building_a_simulation/Model-Source-Code.md
index 06efc40c..15c56389 100644
--- a/docs/documentation/building_a_simulation/Model-Source-Code.md
+++ b/docs/documentation/building_a_simulation/Model-Source-Code.md
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ The `ICG IGNORE TYPES` field lists the structs or classes to be ignored. Any par
 
 ###### `PYTHON_MODULE`
 
-Specifying a `python_module` name will place any class/struct and function definitions in this header file in a python module of the same name. All classes and functions are flattened into the python `trick` namespace by default. This capability allows users to avoid possible name collisions between names when they are flattened.
+Specifying a `python_module` name will place any class/struct and function definitions in this header file in a python module of the same name. All classes and functions are flattened into the python `trick` namespace by default. This capability allows users to avoid possible name collisions between names when they are flattened. An empty `python_module` statement will be ignored.
 
 ##### Compiler Directives
 
diff --git a/libexec/trick/pm/html.pm b/libexec/trick/pm/html.pm
index a6da5c62..d9524373 100644
--- a/libexec/trick/pm/html.pm
+++ b/libexec/trick/pm/html.pm
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ sub extract_trick_header($$$$) {
     $header{icg_ignore} = $2 if $trick_header =~  /ICG[ _]IGNORE[ _]TYPE(S)?:[^(]*(.*?)\)([A-Z _\t\n\r]+:|[ \t\n\r]*$)/si ;
     $header{swig}       = $1 if $trick_header =~                       /SWIG:[^(]*\((.*?)\)([A-Z _\t\n\r]+:|[ \t\n\r]*$)/si ;
     $header{default_data} = $1 if $trick_header =~          /DEFAULT[ _]DATA:[^(]*(.*?)\)([A-Z _\t\n\r]+:|[ \t\n\r]*$)/si ;
-    $header{python_module} = $1 if $trick_header =~        /PYTHON[ _]MODULE:[^(]*\((.*?)\)([A-Z _\t\n\r]+:|[ \t\n\r]*$)/si ;
+    $header{python_module} = $1 if $trick_header =~        /PYTHON[ _]MODULE:[^(]*\((.+?)\)([A-Z _\t\n\r]+:|[ \t\n\r]*$)/si ;
     $header{programmers} = $1 if $trick_header =~               /PROGRAMMERS:[^(]*(.*?)\)([A-Z _\t\n\r]+:|[ \t\n\r]*$)/si ;
     $header{language}  = $1 if $trick_header =~                    /LANGUAGE:[^(]*(.*?)\)([A-Z _\t\n\r]+:|[ \t\n\r]*$)/si ;
 
diff --git a/test/SIM_python_namespace/RUN_test/unit_test.py b/test/SIM_python_namespace/RUN_test/unit_test.py
index b50e2da3..00b5c529 100644
--- a/test/SIM_python_namespace/RUN_test/unit_test.py
+++ b/test/SIM_python_namespace/RUN_test/unit_test.py
@@ -43,6 +43,13 @@ def main():
     yummy.yummy = trick.Foo.Doughnuts
     TRICK_EXPECT_EQ( yummy.yummy , 2, test_suite , "additional file in same namespace" )
 
+    # new class from TrickFood
+    trickfood = trick.Food()
+    trickfood.print_me()
+    TRICK_EXPECT_EQ( trickfood.fast , 2, test_suite , "blank python_module statement" )
+    trickfood.fast = trick.Pizza
+    TRICK_EXPECT_EQ( trickfood.fast , 0, test_suite , "blank python_module statement" )
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     main()
 
diff --git a/test/SIM_python_namespace/S_define b/test/SIM_python_namespace/S_define
index ff42c34c..ec9da89a 100644
--- a/test/SIM_python_namespace/S_define
+++ b/test/SIM_python_namespace/S_define
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /************************TRICK HEADER*************************
 PURPOSE:
-    (blah blah blah)
+    (Test different combinations of Python modules and C++ namespaces)
 *************************************************************/
 
 #include "sim_objects/default_trick_sys.sm"
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ PURPOSE:
 ##include "FooInnerFood.hh"
 ##include "BarFood.hh"
 ##include "FooYummyFood.hh"
+##include "TrickFood.hh"
 
 class SimObj : public Trick::SimObject {
 
@@ -17,6 +18,7 @@ class SimObj : public Trick::SimObject {
         Foo::Inner::Food foo_inner_food ;
         Bar::Food bar_food ;
         Foo::YummyFood foo_yummyfood ;
+        Food trick_food;
 
         /** Constructor to add the jobs */
         SimObj() {
diff --git a/test/SIM_python_namespace/models/TrickFood.hh b/test/SIM_python_namespace/models/TrickFood.hh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0a86c475
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/SIM_python_namespace/models/TrickFood.hh
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+/**
+@file
+
+@verbatim
+PURPOSE: (Test that an empty PYTHON_MODULE won't cause errors or have any effect.)
+PYTHON_MODULE: ()
+@endverbatim
+*******************************************************************************/
+
+#ifndef TRICKFOOD_HH
+#define TRICKFOOD_HH
+
+#include <iostream>
+
+
+
+enum Fast {
+    Pizza,
+    Burger,
+    Taco
+};
+
+class Food {
+  public:
+    Food() : fast(Taco) {}
+    void print_me() { std::cout << "Food::print_me!" << std::endl; }
+    Fast fast;
+};
+
+
+#endif
+