diff --git a/pkg/logql/log/parser.go b/pkg/logql/log/parser.go
index afc70b63400d..659e2e154896 100644
--- a/pkg/logql/log/parser.go
+++ b/pkg/logql/log/parser.go
@@ -164,6 +164,9 @@ func readValue(iter *jsoniter.Iterator) string {
 
 func addLabel(lbs *LabelsBuilder, key, value string) {
 	key = sanitizeLabelKey(key, true)
+	if len(key) == 0 {
+		return
+	}
 	if lbs.BaseHas(key) {
 		key = fmt.Sprintf("%s%s", key, duplicateSuffix)
 	}
@@ -266,7 +269,7 @@ type JSONExpressionParser struct {
 }
 
 func NewJSONExpressionParser(expressions []JSONExpression) (*JSONExpressionParser, error) {
-	var paths = make(map[string][]interface{})
+	paths := make(map[string][]interface{})
 
 	for _, exp := range expressions {
 		path, err := jsonexpr.Parse(exp.Expression, false)
diff --git a/pkg/logql/log/util.go b/pkg/logql/log/util.go
index d12ed21525f7..eb7eb33120aa 100644
--- a/pkg/logql/log/util.go
+++ b/pkg/logql/log/util.go
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@ func sanitizeLabelKey(key string, isPrefix bool) string {
 		return key
 	}
 	key = strings.TrimSpace(key)
+	if len(key) == 0 {
+		return key
+	}
 	if isPrefix && key[0] >= '0' && key[0] <= '9' {
 		key = "_" + key
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/logql/log/util_test.go b/pkg/logql/log/util_test.go
index b16172abf9e2..beb9e2d3ae0e 100644
--- a/pkg/logql/log/util_test.go
+++ b/pkg/logql/log/util_test.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ func Test_sanitizeLabelKey(t *testing.T) {
 		key  string
 		want string
 	}{
+		{"  ", ""},
 		{"1", "_1"},
 		{"1 1 1", "_1_1_1"},
 		{"abc", "abc"},