diff --git a/apps/app_dial.c b/apps/app_dial.c
index 2548e8e09b..249c0dcb81 100644
--- a/apps/app_dial.c
+++ b/apps/app_dial.c
@@ -746,6 +746,9 @@ static void do_forward(struct chanlist *o,
 		const char *forward_context;
 		ast_channel_lock(c);
 		forward_context = pbx_builtin_getvar_helper(c, "FORWARD_CONTEXT");
+		if (ast_strlen_zero(forward_context)) {
+			forward_context = NULL;
+		}
 		snprintf(tmpchan, sizeof(tmpchan), "%s@%s", c->call_forward, forward_context ? forward_context : c->context);
 		ast_channel_unlock(c);
 		stuff = tmpchan;