diff --git a/spring-context/src/main/java/org/springframework/validation/AbstractErrors.java b/spring-context/src/main/java/org/springframework/validation/AbstractErrors.java
index b85e176c7a..2ee871d91f 100644
--- a/spring-context/src/main/java/org/springframework/validation/AbstractErrors.java
+++ b/spring-context/src/main/java/org/springframework/validation/AbstractErrors.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2013 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2014 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -209,6 +209,9 @@ public abstract class AbstractErrors implements Errors, Serializable {
 		if (field.equals(fieldError.getField())) {
 			return true;
 		}
+		if (field.equals("")) {
+			return false;
+		}
 		// Optimization: use charAt instead of endsWith (SPR-11304)
 		int endIndex = field.length() - 1;
 		return (field.charAt(endIndex) == '*' && fieldError.getField().startsWith(field.substring(0, endIndex)));