diff --git a/pkg/labels/parse.go b/pkg/labels/parse.go
index 0a242d50..d0978ff6 100644
--- a/pkg/labels/parse.go
+++ b/pkg/labels/parse.go
@@ -120,8 +120,12 @@ func ParseMatcher(s string) (_ *Matcher, err error) {
 		return nil, errors.Errorf("bad matcher format: %s", s)
 	}
 
+	rawValue := ms[3]
+	if len(rawValue) == 0 {
+		return nil, errors.Errorf("matcher value is not present: %s", s)
+	}
+
 	var (
-		rawValue            = ms[3]
 		value               strings.Builder
 		escaped             bool
 		expectTrailingQuote bool
diff --git a/pkg/labels/parse_test.go b/pkg/labels/parse_test.go
index c15541b8..b1f53ef2 100644
--- a/pkg/labels/parse_test.go
+++ b/pkg/labels/parse_test.go
@@ -189,6 +189,10 @@ func TestMatchers(t *testing.T) {
 				return append(ms, m, m2)
 			}(),
 		},
+		{
+			input: `job=`,
+			err:   `matcher value is not present: job=`,
+		},
 		{
 			input: `job="value`,
 			err:   `matcher value contains unescaped double quote: "value`,