diff --git a/db/fetch.go b/db/fetch.go
index edec04ee..e7016a90 100644
--- a/db/fetch.go
+++ b/db/fetch.go
@@ -592,6 +592,8 @@ func binaryCheck(op sql.Token, l, r, lo, ro interface{}, d *data.Doc) interface{
 			return op == sql.EQ
 		case *sql.Empty:
 			return op == sql.EQ
+		case string:
+			return chkLen(op, r)
 		case []interface{}:
 			return chkArrayR(op, l, r)
 		case map[string]interface{}:
@@ -640,6 +642,8 @@ func binaryCheck(op sql.Token, l, r, lo, ro interface{}, d *data.Doc) interface{
 			}
 		case time.Time:
 			return chkString(op, l, r.String())
+		case *sql.Empty:
+			return chkLen(op, l)
 		case *sql.Thing:
 			return chkString(op, l, r.String())
 		case *regexp.Regexp:
@@ -769,6 +773,16 @@ func chkOp(op sql.Token) int8 {
 	}
 }
 
+func chkLen(op sql.Token, s string) (val bool) {
+	switch op {
+	case sql.EQ:
+		return len(s) == 0
+	case sql.NEQ:
+		return len(s) != 0
+	}
+	return negOp(op)
+}
+
 func chkBool(op sql.Token, a, b bool) (val bool) {
 	switch op {
 	case sql.EQ:
diff --git a/db/fetch_test.go b/db/fetch_test.go
index 921505b8..2b7400e1 100644
--- a/db/fetch_test.go
+++ b/db/fetch_test.go
@@ -467,7 +467,7 @@ func TestFetch(t *testing.T) {
 		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
 		So(res, ShouldHaveLength, 46)
 
-		So(res[2].Result, ShouldHaveLength, 0)
+		So(res[2].Result, ShouldHaveLength, 1)
 		So(res[3].Result, ShouldHaveLength, 1)
 		So(res[4].Result, ShouldHaveLength, 1)
 		So(res[5].Result, ShouldHaveLength, 1)
@@ -476,7 +476,7 @@ func TestFetch(t *testing.T) {
 		So(res[8].Result, ShouldHaveLength, 1)
 		So(res[9].Result, ShouldHaveLength, 1)
 
-		So(res[10].Result, ShouldHaveLength, 0)
+		So(res[10].Result, ShouldHaveLength, 1)
 		So(res[11].Result, ShouldHaveLength, 1)
 		So(res[12].Result, ShouldHaveLength, 1)
 		So(res[13].Result, ShouldHaveLength, 1)
@@ -485,7 +485,7 @@ func TestFetch(t *testing.T) {
 		So(res[16].Result, ShouldHaveLength, 1)
 		So(res[17].Result, ShouldHaveLength, 1)
 
-		So(res[18].Result, ShouldHaveLength, 1)
+		So(res[18].Result, ShouldHaveLength, 0)
 		So(res[19].Result, ShouldHaveLength, 0)
 		So(res[20].Result, ShouldHaveLength, 0)
 		So(res[21].Result, ShouldHaveLength, 0)
@@ -494,7 +494,7 @@ func TestFetch(t *testing.T) {
 		So(res[24].Result, ShouldHaveLength, 0)
 		So(res[25].Result, ShouldHaveLength, 0)
 
-		So(res[26].Result, ShouldHaveLength, 1)
+		So(res[26].Result, ShouldHaveLength, 0)
 		So(res[27].Result, ShouldHaveLength, 0)
 		So(res[28].Result, ShouldHaveLength, 0)
 		So(res[29].Result, ShouldHaveLength, 0)