--- a/main/stasis.c
+++ b/main/stasis.c
@@ -473,9 +473,9 @@ struct stasis_topic *stasis_topic_create(const char *name)
 
 #ifdef AST_DEVMODE
        topic->statistics = stasis_topic_statistics_create(topic);
-       if (!topic->name || !topic->statistics || res)
+       if (ast_strlen_zero(topic->name) || !topic->statistics || res)
 #else
-       if (!topic->name || res)
+       if (ast_strlen_zero(topic->name) || res)
 #endif
        {
                ao2_ref(topic, -1);