diff --git a/src/Translator/Translator.php b/src/Translator/Translator.php
index 597d2395..598686a9 100644
--- a/src/Translator/Translator.php
+++ b/src/Translator/Translator.php
@@ -345,6 +345,7 @@ public function getPluginManager()
      */
     public function translate($message, $textDomain = 'default', $locale = null)
     {
+        $locale      = $locale === '' ? null : $locale;
         $locale      = $locale ?? $this->getLocale();
         $translation = $this->getTranslatedMessage($message, $locale, $textDomain);
 
diff --git a/test/Translator/TranslatorTest.php b/test/Translator/TranslatorTest.php
index 768c2ac6..c865581f 100644
--- a/test/Translator/TranslatorTest.php
+++ b/test/Translator/TranslatorTest.php
@@ -549,4 +549,17 @@ public function testNullMessageArgumentShouldReturnAnEmptyString(): void
 
         self::assertEquals('', $this->translator->translate(null));
     }
+
+    public function testTranslateWithEmptyStringLocale(): void
+    {
+        $this->translator->setLocale('en_US');
+        $this->translator->addTranslationFile(
+            'phparray',
+            $this->testFilesDir . '/testarray/translation-more-en_US.php',
+            'default',
+            'en_US'
+        );
+
+        self::assertEquals('Message 8 (en)', $this->translator->translate('Message 8', 'default', ''));
+    }
 }