diff --git a/lib/libalpm/package.c b/lib/libalpm/package.c
index 7e0854de..0d106893 100644
--- a/lib/libalpm/package.c
+++ b/lib/libalpm/package.c
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ pmpkg_t *pkg_load(char *pkgfile)
 		(writefunc_t)gzwrite
 	};
 
-	if(pkgfile == NULL) {
+	if(pkgfile == NULL || strlen(pkgfile) == 0) {
 		RET_ERR(PM_ERR_WRONG_ARGS, NULL);
 	}