diff --git a/CHANGELOG-5.0.md b/CHANGELOG-5.0.md
index 0951bdb9c5c..e3be7feee90 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG-5.0.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG-5.0.md
@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## [5.4.0](https://github.com/phalcon/cphalcon/releases/tag/v5.3.1) (xxxx-xx-xx)
+
+### Fixed
+- Model Annotation strategy did not work with empty_string [#16426] (https://github.com/phalcon/cphalcon/issues/16426)
+
+
 ## [5.3.1](https://github.com/phalcon/cphalcon/releases/tag/v5.3.1) (2023-09-12)
 
 ### Fixed
@@ -7,7 +13,6 @@
 - Fixed undefined column with columnMap and model caching [#16420](https://github.com/phalcon/cphalcon/issues/16420)
 - Fixed memory leak in `Phalcon\Mvc\Router::handle()` [#16431](https://github.com/phalcon/cphalcon/pull/16431)
 
-
 ## [5.3.0](https://github.com/phalcon/cphalcon/releases/tag/v5.3.0) (2023-08-15)
 
 ### Added
diff --git a/phalcon/Mvc/Model/MetaData/Strategy/Annotations.zep b/phalcon/Mvc/Model/MetaData/Strategy/Annotations.zep
index ea526fe7018..c8aca5ccd52 100644
--- a/phalcon/Mvc/Model/MetaData/Strategy/Annotations.zep
+++ b/phalcon/Mvc/Model/MetaData/Strategy/Annotations.zep
@@ -364,7 +364,7 @@ class Annotations implements StrategyInterface
              * Allow empty strings for column
              */
             if columnAnnotation->getNamedParameter("allow_empty_string") {
-                let emptyStringValues[] = columnName;
+                let emptyStringValues[columnName] = columnName;
             }
 
             /**