diff --git a/loopy/target/c/c_execution.py b/loopy/target/c/c_execution.py
index 60947c7f77d09582868304ded121386bbb3aab68..daae98755a22bf076ab9fb3f3c472474d1e9517a 100644
--- a/loopy/target/c/c_execution.py
+++ b/loopy/target/c/c_execution.py
@@ -95,7 +95,10 @@ class CExecutionWrapperGenerator(ExecutionWrapperGeneratorBase):
                 for i in range(num_axes))
 
         # find order of array
-        order = "'C'" if arg.unvec_strides[-1] == 1 else "'F'"
+        if len(arg.unvec_strides) > 0:
+            order = "'C'" if arg.unvec_strides[-1] == 1 else "'F'"
+        else:
+            order = "'C'"
 
         gen("%(name)s = _lpy_np.empty(%(shape)s, "
                 "%(dtype)s, order=%(order)s)"