diff --git a/format.c b/format.c
index e5f9d28c..d6bcfc08 100644
--- a/format.c
+++ b/format.c
@@ -336,7 +336,7 @@ format_expand_time(struct format_tree *ft, const char *fmt, time_t t)
 	size_t		 tmplen;
 	struct tm	*tm;
 
-	if (fmt == NULL)
+	if (fmt == NULL || *fmt == '\0')
 		return (xstrdup(""));
 
 	tm = localtime(&t);