diff --git a/lib/redmine/scm/adapters/cvs_adapter.rb b/lib/redmine/scm/adapters/cvs_adapter.rb
index f010260e9..0309bee78 100644
--- a/lib/redmine/scm/adapters/cvs_adapter.rb
+++ b/lib/redmine/scm/adapters/cvs_adapter.rb
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ module Redmine
         #  password -> unnecessary too
         def initialize(url, root_url=nil, login=nil, password=nil,
                        path_encoding=nil)
-          @path_encoding = path_encoding || 'UTF-8'
+          @path_encoding = path_encoding.blank? ? 'UTF-8' : path_encoding
           @url      = url
           # TODO: better Exception here (IllegalArgumentException)
           raise CommandFailed if root_url.blank?