diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 85ace5fc..c910c778 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Version 2.0.8 (2012-09-10 07:47:49) stable
+Version 2.0.8 (2012-09-10 07:51:42) stable
diff --git a/gluon/dal.py b/gluon/dal.py
index 00e4e91e..20e8eb8c 100644
--- a/gluon/dal.py
+++ b/gluon/dal.py
@@ -8197,7 +8197,10 @@ class Expression(object):
         db = self.db
         if isinstance(value,(list, tuple)):
             subqueries = [self.contains(str(v).strip()) for v in value if str(v).strip()]
-            return reduce(all and AND or OR, subqueries,self.contains(''))
+            if not subqueries:
+                return self.contains('')
+            else:
+                return reduce(all and AND or OR,subqueries)
         if not self.type in ('string', 'text') and not self.type.startswith('list:'):
             raise SyntaxError, "contains used with incompatible field type"
         return Query(db, db._adapter.CONTAINS, self, value)