diff --git a/src/main/java/com/typesafe/config/impl/Path.java b/src/main/java/com/typesafe/config/impl/Path.java
index b0434f0f..d57cc009 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/typesafe/config/impl/Path.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/typesafe/config/impl/Path.java
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ final class Path {
     }
 
     private void appendToStringBuilder(StringBuilder sb) {
-        if (hasFunkyChars(first))
+        if (hasFunkyChars(first) || first.isEmpty())
             sb.append(ConfigUtil.renderJsonString(first));
         else
             sb.append(first);
diff --git a/src/test/scala/com/typesafe/config/impl/PathTest.scala b/src/test/scala/com/typesafe/config/impl/PathTest.scala
index c5542d5b..6e1239af 100644
--- a/src/test/scala/com/typesafe/config/impl/PathTest.scala
+++ b/src/test/scala/com/typesafe/config/impl/PathTest.scala
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ class PathTest extends TestUtils {
         assertEquals("foo.\"bar*\"", path("foo", "bar*").render())
         assertEquals("\"foo.bar\"", path("foo.bar").render())
         assertEquals("foo bar", path("foo bar").render())
+        assertEquals("\"\".\"\"", path("", "").render())
     }
 
     @Test