diff --git a/src/Ruleset.php b/src/Ruleset.php
index d1ef2a4d75..7614998171 100644
--- a/src/Ruleset.php
+++ b/src/Ruleset.php
@@ -1215,7 +1215,7 @@ private function processRule($rule, $newSniffs, $depth=0)
                                 }
 
                                 $value = (string) $element['value'];
-                                if (isset($element['key']) === true) {
+                                if (isset($element['key']) === true && trim($element['key']) !== '') {
                                     $key          = (string) $element['key'];
                                     $values[$key] = $value;
                                     $printValue  .= $key.'=>'.$value.',';
diff --git a/tests/Core/Ruleset/Fixtures/PropertyTypeHandlingInline.inc b/tests/Core/Ruleset/Fixtures/PropertyTypeHandlingInline.inc
index 31caeb6198..e40ecf3c4c 100644
--- a/tests/Core/Ruleset/Fixtures/PropertyTypeHandlingInline.inc
+++ b/tests/Core/Ruleset/Fixtures/PropertyTypeHandlingInline.inc
@@ -20,12 +20,12 @@
 // phpcs:set TestStandard.SetProperty.PropertyTypeHandling expectsBooleanFalseCase fALSe
 // phpcs:set TestStandard.SetProperty.PropertyTypeHandling expectsBooleanFalseTrimmed      false
 
-// phpcs:set TestStandard.SetProperty.PropertyTypeHandling expectsArrayWithOnlyValues[] string, 10, 1.5, null, true, false
-// phpcs:set TestStandard.SetProperty.PropertyTypeHandling expectsArrayWithKeysAndValues[] string=>string,10=>10,float=>1.5,null=>null,true=>true,false=>false
+// phpcs:set TestStandard.SetProperty.PropertyTypeHandling expectsArrayWithOnlyValues[] string, 10, 1.5, , null, true, false
+// phpcs:set TestStandard.SetProperty.PropertyTypeHandling expectsArrayWithKeysAndValues[] string=>string,10=>10,float=>1.5,=>,null=>null,true=>true,false=>false
 // phpcs:set TestStandard.SetProperty.PropertyTypeHandling expectsEmptyArray[]
 
-// phpcs:set TestStandard.SetProperty.PropertyTypeHandling expectsOldSchoolArrayWithOnlyValues[] string, 10, 1.5, null, true, false
-// phpcs:set TestStandard.SetProperty.PropertyTypeHandling expectsOldSchoolArrayWithKeysAndValues[] string=>string,10=>10,float=>1.5,null=>null,true=>true,false=>false
+// phpcs:set TestStandard.SetProperty.PropertyTypeHandling expectsOldSchoolArrayWithOnlyValues[] string, 10, 1.5, , null, true, false
+// phpcs:set TestStandard.SetProperty.PropertyTypeHandling expectsOldSchoolArrayWithKeysAndValues[] string=>string,10=>10,float=>1.5,=>,null=>null,true=>true,false=>false
 // phpcs:set TestStandard.SetProperty.PropertyTypeHandling expectsOldSchoolEmptyArray[]
 
 echo 'hello!';
diff --git a/tests/Core/Ruleset/PropertyTypeHandlingTest.php b/tests/Core/Ruleset/PropertyTypeHandlingTest.php
index 1db15aa5d2..de71ba3980 100644
--- a/tests/Core/Ruleset/PropertyTypeHandlingTest.php
+++ b/tests/Core/Ruleset/PropertyTypeHandlingTest.php
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@ public static function dataTypeHandling()
             'string',
             '10',
             '1.5',
+            '',
             'null',
             'true',
             'false',
@@ -128,6 +129,7 @@ public static function dataTypeHandling()
             'string' => 'string',
             10       => '10',
             'float'  => '1.5',
+            11       => '',
             'null'   => 'null',
             'true'   => 'true',
             'false'  => 'false',
diff --git a/tests/Core/Ruleset/PropertyTypeHandlingTest.xml b/tests/Core/Ruleset/PropertyTypeHandlingTest.xml
index 2e89a37b55..eaca667532 100644
--- a/tests/Core/Ruleset/PropertyTypeHandlingTest.xml
+++ b/tests/Core/Ruleset/PropertyTypeHandlingTest.xml
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
                 <element value="string"/>
                 <element value="10"/>
                 <element value="1.5"/>
+                <element value=""/>
                 <element value="null"/>
                 <element value="true"/>
                 <element value="false"/>
@@ -34,6 +35,7 @@
                 <element key="string" value="string"/>
                 <element key="10" value="10"/>
                 <element key="float" value="1.5"/>
+                <element key="" value=""/>
                 <element key="null" value="null"/>
                 <element key="true" value="true"/>
                 <element key="false" value="false"/>
@@ -60,9 +62,9 @@
 
             <property name="expectsEmptyArray" type="array"/>
 
-            <property name="expectsOldSchoolArrayWithOnlyValues" type="array" value="string, 10, 1.5, null, true, false" />
+            <property name="expectsOldSchoolArrayWithOnlyValues" type="array" value="string, 10, 1.5, , null, true, false" />
 
-            <property name="expectsOldSchoolArrayWithKeysAndValues" type="array" value="string=>string,10=>10,float=>1.5,null=>null,true=>true,false=>false" />
+            <property name="expectsOldSchoolArrayWithKeysAndValues" type="array" value="string=>string,10=>10,float=>1.5,=>,null=>null,true=>true,false=>false" />
 
             <property name="expectsOldSchoolArrayWithExtendedValues" type="array" value="string" />
             <property name="expectsOldSchoolArrayWithExtendedValues" type="array" extend="true" value="15,another string" />