diff --git a/common/cli_hush.c b/common/cli_hush.c
index 2b654b754f..9607e93d51 100644
--- a/common/cli_hush.c
+++ b/common/cli_hush.c
@@ -3236,8 +3236,10 @@ int parse_string_outer(const char *s, int flag)
 #ifdef __U_BOOT__
 	char *p = NULL;
 	int rcode;
-	if ( !s || !*s)
+	if (!s)
 		return 1;
+	if (!*s)
+		return 0;
 	if (!(p = strchr(s, '\n')) || *++p) {
 		p = xmalloc(strlen(s) + 2);
 		strcpy(p, s);
diff --git a/test/command_ut.c b/test/command_ut.c
index e136075541..a4f034179b 100644
--- a/test/command_ut.c
+++ b/test/command_ut.c
@@ -188,6 +188,9 @@ static int do_ut_cmd(cmd_tbl_t *cmdtp, int flag, int argc, char * const argv[])
 #endif
 #endif
 
+	assert(run_command("", 0) == 0);
+	assert(run_command(" ", 0) == 0);
+
 	printf("%s: Everything went swimmingly\n", __func__);
 	return 0;
 }