diff --git a/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/http/HttpHeaders.java b/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/http/HttpHeaders.java
index e7b91481f1..9bde1b4054 100644
--- a/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/http/HttpHeaders.java
+++ b/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/http/HttpHeaders.java
@@ -467,7 +467,7 @@ public class HttpHeaders implements MultiValueMap<String, String>, Serializable
 	 */
 	public List<Locale.LanguageRange> getAcceptLanguage() {
 		String value = getFirst(ACCEPT_LANGUAGE);
-		return value != null ? Locale.LanguageRange.parse(value) : Collections.emptyList();
+		return StringUtils.hasText(value) ? Locale.LanguageRange.parse(value) : Collections.emptyList();
 	}
 
 	/**
diff --git a/spring-web/src/test/java/org/springframework/http/HttpHeadersTests.java b/spring-web/src/test/java/org/springframework/http/HttpHeadersTests.java
index a6afa4935b..da57a96722 100644
--- a/spring-web/src/test/java/org/springframework/http/HttpHeadersTests.java
+++ b/spring-web/src/test/java/org/springframework/http/HttpHeadersTests.java
@@ -447,6 +447,12 @@ public class HttpHeadersTests {
 		assertEquals(Locale.FRANCE, headers.getAcceptLanguageAsLocales().get(0));
 	}
 
+	@Test // SPR-15603
+	public void acceptLanguageWithEmptyValue() throws Exception {
+		this.headers.set(HttpHeaders.ACCEPT_LANGUAGE, "");
+		assertEquals(Collections.emptyList(), this.headers.getAcceptLanguageAsLocales());
+	}
+
 	@Test
 	public void contentLanguage() {
 		headers.setContentLanguage(Locale.FRANCE);