diff -r 12ad8c975766 Lib/test/test_ast.py
--- a/Lib/test/test_ast.py	Sat Aug 06 09:32:11 2011 +0300
+++ b/Lib/test/test_ast.py	Sat Aug 06 20:13:00 2011 -0500
@@ -381,6 +381,17 @@
             compile(m, "<test>", "exec")
         self.assertIn("string must be of type str", str(cm.exception))
 
+    def test_empty_function(self):
+        # issue12608: FunctionDef with empty body list crashes 'compile'
+        f = ast.Interactive(body=[
+                ast.FunctionDef(
+                    name="foo",
+                    args=ast.arguments(
+                        args=[], vararg=None, kwarg=None, defaults=[],
+                        kwonlyargs=[], kw_defaults=[]),
+                    body=[], decorator_list=[])])
+        ast.fix_missing_locations(f)
+        compile(f, "<unknown>", "single")
 
 class ASTHelpers_Test(unittest.TestCase):
 
diff -r 12ad8c975766 Python/compile.c
--- a/Python/compile.c	Sat Aug 06 09:32:11 2011 +0300
+++ b/Python/compile.c	Sat Aug 06 20:13:00 2011 -0500
@@ -1471,7 +1471,7 @@
         return 0;
 
     st = (stmt_ty)asdl_seq_GET(s->v.FunctionDef.body, 0);
-    docstring = compiler_isdocstring(st);
+    docstring = st ? compiler_isdocstring(st): 0;
     if (docstring && c->c_optimize < 2)
         first_const = st->v.Expr.value->v.Str.s;
     if (compiler_add_o(c, c->u->u_consts, first_const) < 0)      {