diff --git a/opendj-server-legacy/src/main/java/org/opends/server/authorization/dseecompat/BindRule.java b/opendj-server-legacy/src/main/java/org/opends/server/authorization/dseecompat/BindRule.java
index 52f7b09ac3..0ba662c9a4 100644
--- a/opendj-server-legacy/src/main/java/org/opends/server/authorization/dseecompat/BindRule.java
+++ b/opendj-server-legacy/src/main/java/org/opends/server/authorization/dseecompat/BindRule.java
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
  *
  * Copyright 2008 Sun Microsystems, Inc.
  * Portions Copyright 2013-2016 ForgeRock AS.
+ * Portions Copyright 2026 3A Systems, LLC
  */
 package org.opends.server.authorization.dseecompat;
 
@@ -146,11 +147,17 @@ private BindRule(BindRule left, BindRule right, EnumBooleanTypes booleanType) {
      * @throws AciException If the string is an invalid bind rule.
      */
     public static BindRule decode (String input) throws AciException {
-        if (input == null || input.length() == 0)
+        if (input == null)
         {
           return null;
         }
         String bindruleStr = input.trim();
+        if (bindruleStr.isEmpty())
+        {
+          // A blank bind rule (e.g. "(          )") must be rejected as a
+          // syntax error rather than throwing StringIndexOutOfBoundsException.
+          return null;
+        }
         char firstChar = bindruleStr.charAt(0);
         char[] bindruleArray = bindruleStr.toCharArray();
 
diff --git a/opendj-server-legacy/src/test/java/org/opends/server/authorization/dseecompat/AciBodyTest.java b/opendj-server-legacy/src/test/java/org/opends/server/authorization/dseecompat/AciBodyTest.java
index b006df42a4..ed3f15a448 100644
--- a/opendj-server-legacy/src/test/java/org/opends/server/authorization/dseecompat/AciBodyTest.java
+++ b/opendj-server-legacy/src/test/java/org/opends/server/authorization/dseecompat/AciBodyTest.java
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
  * information: "Portions Copyright [year] [name of copyright owner]".
  *
  * Copyright 2013-2016 ForgeRock AS.
+ * Portions Copyright 2026 3A Systems, LLC
  */
 package org.opends.server.authorization.dseecompat;
 
@@ -61,4 +62,15 @@ public void decodeValidAci(String aci) throws Exception
     assertThat(aciBody.toString()).isEqualTo(aci);
     assertThat(aciBody.getPermBindRulePairs()).hasSize(1);
   }
+
+  /**
+   * A blank bind rule (only whitespace between the parentheses) must be
+   * rejected with an {@link AciException} rather than crashing with an
+   * unchecked {@code StringIndexOutOfBoundsException}. See issue #712.
+   */
+  @Test(expectedExceptions = AciException.class)
+  public void decodeBlankBindRuleThrowsAciException() throws Exception
+  {
+    AciBody.decode("(version 3.0; acl \"C\"; allow (search)(          ) (userdn=\"ldap:///self\"); )");
+  }
 }