diff --git a/env/env.go b/env/env.go
index c597a3ae4..8a4e5b845 100644
--- a/env/env.go
+++ b/env/env.go
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ func loadEnvDir(envName string) error {
 func GetProcessedPropertiesMap(propertiesMap *properties.Properties) (*properties.Properties, error) {
 	for propertyKey := range propertiesMap.Map() {
 		// Update properties if an env var is set.
-		if envVarValue, present := os.LookupEnv(propertyKey); present {
+		if envVarValue, present := os.LookupEnv(propertyKey); present && len(envVarValue) > 0 {
 			if _, _, err := propertiesMap.Set(propertyKey, envVarValue); err != nil {
 				return propertiesMap, fmt.Errorf("%s", err.Error())
 			}
diff --git a/env/env_test.go b/env/env_test.go
index 96437e1af..fbe090b1a 100644
--- a/env/env_test.go
+++ b/env/env_test.go
@@ -221,6 +221,19 @@ func (s *MySuite) TestLoadDefaultEnvWithSubstitutedVariables(c *C) {
 	c.Assert(os.Getenv("property2"), Equals, "value1/value2")
 }
 
+func (s *MySuite) TestLoadDefaultEmptyEnvWithSubstitutedVariables(c *C) {
+	os.Clearenv()
+	os.Setenv("property1", "")
+
+	config.ProjectRoot = "_testdata/proj1"
+
+	e := LoadEnv(common.DefaultEnvDir, nil)
+
+	c.Assert(e, Equals, nil)
+
+	c.Assert(os.Getenv("property1"), Equals, "value1")
+}
+
 func (s *MySuite) TestLoadDefaultEnvWithMissingSubstitutedVariable(c *C) {
 	os.Clearenv()
 	config.ProjectRoot = "_testdata/proj5"