diff --git a/src/config.c b/src/config.c
index 5bc05d0a..c7fc1155 100644
--- a/src/config.c
+++ b/src/config.c
@@ -390,7 +390,7 @@ void loadServerConfigFromString(char *config) {
             }
         } else if (!strcasecmp(argv[0],"masterauth") && argc == 2) {
             zfree(server.masterauth);
-            server.masterauth = zstrdup(argv[1]);
+            server.masterauth = argv[1][0] ? zstrdup(argv[1]) : NULL;
         } else if (!strcasecmp(argv[0],"slave-serve-stale-data") && argc == 2) {
             if ((server.repl_serve_stale_data = yesnotoi(argv[1])) == -1) {
                 err = "argument must be 'yes' or 'no'"; goto loaderr;
@@ -503,7 +503,7 @@ void loadServerConfigFromString(char *config) {
                 err = "Password is longer than CONFIG_AUTHPASS_MAX_LEN";
                 goto loaderr;
             }
-            server.requirepass = zstrdup(argv[1]);
+            server.requirepass = argv[1][0] ? zstrdup(argv[1]) : NULL;
         } else if (!strcasecmp(argv[0],"pidfile") && argc == 2) {
             zfree(server.pidfile);
             server.pidfile = zstrdup(argv[1]);