diff --git a/Source/cmGeneratorExpressionParser.cxx b/Source/cmGeneratorExpressionParser.cxx
index a619cecd0..e1fb8f1de 100644
--- a/Source/cmGeneratorExpressionParser.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmGeneratorExpressionParser.cxx
@@ -126,6 +126,9 @@ void cmGeneratorExpressionParser::ParseGeneratorExpression(
   std::vector<std::vector<cmGeneratorExpressionToken>::const_iterator>
                                                             commaTokens;
   std::vector<cmGeneratorExpressionToken>::const_iterator colonToken;
+
+  bool emptyParamTermination = false;
+
   if (this->it != this->Tokens.end() &&
       this->it->TokenType == cmGeneratorExpressionToken::ColonSeparator)
     {
@@ -133,6 +136,10 @@ void cmGeneratorExpressionParser::ParseGeneratorExpression(
     parameters.resize(parameters.size() + 1);
     assert(this->it != this->Tokens.end());
     ++this->it;
+    if(this->it == this->Tokens.end())
+      {
+      emptyParamTermination = true;
+      }
 
     while (this->it != this->Tokens.end() &&
            this->it->TokenType == cmGeneratorExpressionToken::CommaSeparator)
@@ -141,6 +148,10 @@ void cmGeneratorExpressionParser::ParseGeneratorExpression(
       parameters.resize(parameters.size() + 1);
       assert(this->it != this->Tokens.end());
       ++this->it;
+      if(this->it == this->Tokens.end())
+        {
+        emptyParamTermination = true;
+        }
       }
     while (this->it != this->Tokens.end() &&
            this->it->TokenType == cmGeneratorExpressionToken::ColonSeparator)
@@ -164,6 +175,10 @@ void cmGeneratorExpressionParser::ParseGeneratorExpression(
         parameters.resize(parameters.size() + 1);
         assert(this->it != this->Tokens.end());
         ++this->it;
+        if(this->it == this->Tokens.end())
+          {
+          emptyParamTermination = true;
+          }
         }
       while (this->it != this->Tokens.end() &&
              this->it->TokenType == cmGeneratorExpressionToken::ColonSeparator)
@@ -203,7 +218,10 @@ void cmGeneratorExpressionParser::ParseGeneratorExpression(
       assert(parameters.size() > commaTokens.size());
       for ( ; pit != pend; ++pit, ++commaIt)
         {
-        extendResult(result, *pit);
+        if (!pit->empty() && !emptyParamTermination)
+          {
+          extendResult(result, *pit);
+          }
         if (commaIt != commaTokens.end())
           {
           extendText(result, *commaIt);
diff --git a/Tests/GeneratorExpression/CMakeLists.txt b/Tests/GeneratorExpression/CMakeLists.txt
index 9ee4fc5d3..4d8d7ed25 100644
--- a/Tests/GeneratorExpression/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/Tests/GeneratorExpression/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -184,6 +184,8 @@ add_custom_target(check-part3 ALL
     -Dtest_alias_file_exe=$<STREQUAL:$<TARGET_FILE:Alias::SomeExe>,$<TARGET_FILE:someexe>>
     -Dtest_alias_file_lib=$<STREQUAL:$<TARGET_FILE:Alias::SomeLib>,$<TARGET_FILE:empty1>>
     -Dtest_alias_target_name=$<STREQUAL:$<TARGET_PROPERTY:Alias::SomeLib,NAME>,$<TARGET_PROPERTY:empty1,NAME>>
+    -Dtest_early_termination_1=$<$<1:>:
+    -Dtest_early_termination_2=$<$<1:>:,
     -P ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/check-part3.cmake
   COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E echo "check done (part 3 of 3)"
   VERBATIM
diff --git a/Tests/GeneratorExpression/check-part3.cmake b/Tests/GeneratorExpression/check-part3.cmake
index 5a6a441a0..74a596c3a 100644
--- a/Tests/GeneratorExpression/check-part3.cmake
+++ b/Tests/GeneratorExpression/check-part3.cmake
@@ -24,3 +24,5 @@ endforeach()
 check(test_alias_file_exe "1")
 check(test_alias_file_lib "1")
 check(test_alias_target_name "1")
+check(test_early_termination_1 "$<:")
+check(test_early_termination_2 "$<:,")