diff --git a/django_select2/forms.py b/django_select2/forms.py
index 1fa858a7..b21bee4b 100644
--- a/django_select2/forms.py
+++ b/django_select2/forms.py
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ def build_attrs(self, base_attrs, extra_attrs=None):
             default_attrs['data-allow-clear'] = 'false'
         else:
             default_attrs['data-allow-clear'] = 'true'
-            default_attrs['data-placeholder'] = self.empty_label
+            default_attrs['data-placeholder'] = self.empty_label or ""
 
         default_attrs.update(base_attrs)
         attrs = super().build_attrs(default_attrs, extra_attrs=extra_attrs)
diff --git a/tests/test_forms.py b/tests/test_forms.py
index 797dfd4c..d07c381b 100644
--- a/tests/test_forms.py
+++ b/tests/test_forms.py
@@ -95,7 +95,9 @@ def test_empty_option(self, db):
         multiple_select = self.multiple_form.fields['featured_artists']
         assert multiple_select.required is False
         assert multiple_select.widget.allow_multiple_selected
-        assert '<option value=""></option>' not in multiple_select.widget.render('featured_artists', None)
+        output = multiple_select.widget.render('featured_artists', None)
+        assert '<option value=""></option>' not in output
+        assert 'data-placeholder=""' in output
 
     def test_i18n(self):
         translation.activate('de')