diff --git a/yaml.go b/yaml.go
index 801dbe9..90d049d 100644
--- a/yaml.go
+++ b/yaml.go
@@ -342,7 +342,7 @@ cast_type:
 			case uint64:
 				s = "xd" + strconv.FormatUint(typedVal, 10)
 			case string:
-				if typedVal[0] == 'x' {
+				if len(typedVal) > 0 && typedVal[0] == 'x' {
 					s = "x" + typedVal
 				}
 			}
@@ -367,7 +367,7 @@ func convertNestedJSONNumbers(jsonObj interface{}) (interface{}, error) {
 			typedJSONObj[i], err = convertNestedJSONNumbers(value)
 		}
 	case string:
-		if typedJSONObj[0] == 'x' {
+		if len(typedJSONObj) > 0 && typedJSONObj[0] == 'x' {
 			switch typedJSONObj[1] {
 			case 'a':
 				var val int64
diff --git a/yaml_test.go b/yaml_test.go
index da51fa8..76b7007 100644
--- a/yaml_test.go
+++ b/yaml_test.go
@@ -242,6 +242,14 @@ func TestUnmarshal(t *testing.T) {
 				"b": float64(333),
 			},
 		},
+		{
+			encoded:    []byte("a: \"\"\nb: \n"),
+			decodeInto: new(interface{}),
+			decoded: map[string]interface{}{
+				"a": "",
+				"b": nil,
+			},
+		},
 	}
 
 	for _, test := range tests {