diff --git a/noice.c b/noice.c
index 54a9455b..dda028c1 100644
--- a/noice.c
+++ b/noice.c
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ xgetenv(char *name, char *fallback)
 	if (name == NULL)
 		return fallback;
 	value = getenv(name);
-	return value ? value : fallback;
+	return value && value[0] ? value : fallback;
 }
 
 char *