diff --git a/forge-game/src/main/java/forge/game/ability/effects/CountersPutEffect.java b/forge-game/src/main/java/forge/game/ability/effects/CountersPutEffect.java
index 61d58891566..d00896a5d05 100644
--- a/forge-game/src/main/java/forge/game/ability/effects/CountersPutEffect.java
+++ b/forge-game/src/main/java/forge/game/ability/effects/CountersPutEffect.java
@@ -49,6 +49,13 @@ public class CountersPutEffect extends SpellAbilityEffect {
         final boolean dividedAsYouChoose = spellAbility.hasParam("DividedAsYouChoose");
 
         final int amount = AbilityUtils.calculateAmount(card, spellAbility.getParamOrDefault("CounterNum", "1"), spellAbility);
+        //skip the StringBuilder if no targets are chosen ("up to" scenario)
+        if (spellAbility.usesTargeting()) {
+            final List<Card> targetCards = SpellAbilityEffect.getTargetCards(spellAbility);
+            if (targetCards.size() == 0) {
+                return stringBuilder.toString();
+            }
+        }
         if (spellAbility.hasParam("Bolster")) {
             stringBuilder.append("Bolster ").append(amount);
             return stringBuilder.toString();