diff --git a/enginetest/queries/variable_queries.go b/enginetest/queries/variable_queries.go
index 1bf1d52e01..bbf3a2251c 100644
--- a/enginetest/queries/variable_queries.go
+++ b/enginetest/queries/variable_queries.go
@@ -338,6 +338,16 @@ var VariableQueries = []ScriptTest{
 			{"ERROR_FOR_DIVISION_BY_ZERO,NO_ENGINE_SUBSTITUTION,NO_ZERO_DATE,NO_ZERO_IN_DATE,STRICT_ALL_TABLES,STRICT_TRANS_TABLES,TRADITIONAL"},
 		},
 	},
+	{
+		Name: "set sql_mode variable ignores empty strings",
+		SetUpScript: []string{
+			`SET sql_mode = ',,,,STRICT_TRANS_TABLES,,,,,NO_AUTO_VALUE_ON_ZERO,,,,NO_ENGINE_SUBSTITUTION,,,,,,'`,
+		},
+		Query: "SELECT @@sql_mode",
+		Expected: []sql.Row{
+			{"NO_AUTO_VALUE_ON_ZERO,NO_ENGINE_SUBSTITUTION,STRICT_TRANS_TABLES"},
+		},
+	},
 	{
 		Name: "show variables renders enums after set",
 		SetUpScript: []string{
diff --git a/sql/types/set.go b/sql/types/set.go
index 34e6b33956..a9cad68a48 100644
--- a/sql/types/set.go
+++ b/sql/types/set.go
@@ -368,6 +368,10 @@ func (t SetType) convertStringToBitField(str string) (uint64, error) {
 	var bitField uint64
 	vals := strings.Split(str, ",")
 	for _, val := range vals {
+		// empty string should hash to 0, so just skip
+		if val == "" {
+			continue
+		}
 		compareVal := val
 		if t.collation != sql.Collation_binary {
 			compareVal = strings.TrimRight(compareVal, " ")
diff --git a/sql/types/set_test.go b/sql/types/set_test.go
index 4241f60d6d..59cde6f575 100644
--- a/sql/types/set_test.go
+++ b/sql/types/set_test.go
@@ -174,8 +174,8 @@ func TestSetConvert(t *testing.T) {
 		{[]string{"", "one", "two"}, sql.Collation_Default, "", "", false},
 		{[]string{"", "one", "two"}, sql.Collation_Default, ",one,two", ",one,two", false},
 		{[]string{"", "one", "two"}, sql.Collation_Default, "one,,two", ",one,two", false},
+		{[]string{"one", "two"}, sql.Collation_Default, ",one,two", "one,two", false},
 
-		{[]string{"one", "two"}, sql.Collation_Default, ",one,two", nil, true},
 		{[]string{"one", "two"}, sql.Collation_Default, 4, nil, true},
 		{[]string{"one", "two"}, sql.Collation_Default, "three", nil, true},
 		{[]string{"one", "two"}, sql.Collation_Default, "one,two,three", nil, true},