diff --git a/htdocs/admin/dict.php b/htdocs/admin/dict.php
index ac2a8a14528..3c536d7e310 100644
--- a/htdocs/admin/dict.php
+++ b/htdocs/admin/dict.php
@@ -1674,6 +1674,9 @@ if ($id > 0) {
 			}
 
 			if (in_array($value, array('label', 'libelle', 'libelle_facture')) && empty($tabcomplete[$tabname[$id]]['help'][$value])) {
+				if (!is_array($tabcomplete[$tabname[$id]]['help'])) {	// protection when $tabcomplete[$tabname[$id]]['help'] is a an empty string, we must force it into an array
+					$tabcomplete[$tabname[$id]]['help'] = array();
+				}
 				$tabcomplete[$tabname[$id]]['help'][$value] = $langs->trans('LabelUsedByDefault');
 			}