diff --git a/main/db.c b/main/db.c
index c733ef9dce..a088a803ff 100644
--- a/main/db.c
+++ b/main/db.c
@@ -538,12 +538,8 @@ static int manager_dbput(struct mansession *s, const struct message *m)
 		astman_send_error(s, m, "No key specified");
 		return 0;
 	}
-	if (ast_strlen_zero(val)) {
-		astman_send_error(s, m, "No val specified");
-		return 0;
-	}
 
-	res = ast_db_put(family, key, val);
+	res = ast_db_put(family, key, S_OR(val, ""));
 	if (res) {
 		astman_send_error(s, m, "Failed to update entry");
 	} else {
diff --git a/main/manager.c b/main/manager.c
index c6b36ca7f5..ec6e2d968c 100644
--- a/main/manager.c
+++ b/main/manager.c
@@ -1554,11 +1554,6 @@ static int action_setvar(struct mansession *s, const struct message *m)
 		return 0;
 	}
 
-	if (ast_strlen_zero(varval)) {
-		astman_send_error(s, m, "No value specified");
-		return 0;
-	}
-
 	if (!ast_strlen_zero(name)) {
 		c = ast_get_channel_by_name_locked(name);
 		if (!c) {
@@ -1567,7 +1562,7 @@ static int action_setvar(struct mansession *s, const struct message *m)
 		}
 	}
 
-	pbx_builtin_setvar_helper(c, varname, varval);
+	pbx_builtin_setvar_helper(c, varname, S_OR(varval, ""));
 
 	if (c)
 		ast_channel_unlock(c);