diff --git a/homeassistant/components/mqtt/vacuum.py b/homeassistant/components/mqtt/vacuum.py
index ae4b3322b8e2..5895d52e9dce 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/mqtt/vacuum.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/mqtt/vacuum.py
@@ -313,7 +313,7 @@ class MqttVacuum(MqttAttributes, MqttAvailability, MqttDiscoveryUpdate,
                 error = self._templates[CONF_ERROR_TEMPLATE]\
                     .async_render_with_possible_json_value(
                         msg.payload, error_value=None)
-                if error:
+                if error is not None:
                     self._error = cv.string(error)
 
             if self._docked:
diff --git a/tests/components/mqtt/test_vacuum.py b/tests/components/mqtt/test_vacuum.py
index 4140177a929d..78ca45a792fc 100644
--- a/tests/components/mqtt/test_vacuum.py
+++ b/tests/components/mqtt/test_vacuum.py
@@ -298,10 +298,17 @@ async def test_status_error(hass, mock_publish):
     }"""
     async_fire_mqtt_message(hass, 'vacuum/state', message)
     await hass.async_block_till_done()
-    await hass.async_block_till_done()
     state = hass.states.get('vacuum.mqtttest')
     assert 'Error: Error1' == state.attributes.get(ATTR_STATUS)
 
+    message = """{
+        "error": ""
+    }"""
+    async_fire_mqtt_message(hass, 'vacuum/state', message)
+    await hass.async_block_till_done()
+    state = hass.states.get('vacuum.mqtttest')
+    assert 'Stopped' == state.attributes.get(ATTR_STATUS)
+
 
 async def test_battery_template(hass, mock_publish):
     """Test that you can use non-default templates for battery_level."""