diff --git a/pkg/aks/create.go b/pkg/aks/create.go
index 4908fb94..77c1ac0e 100644
--- a/pkg/aks/create.go
+++ b/pkg/aks/create.go
@@ -64,9 +64,7 @@ func createManagedCluster(ctx context.Context, cred *Credentials, workplacesClie
 
 	managedCluster.Tags = make(map[string]*string)
 	for key, val := range spec.Tags {
-		if val != "" {
-			managedCluster.Tags[key] = to.Ptr(val)
-		}
+		managedCluster.Tags[key] = to.Ptr(val)
 	}
 
 	nodeResourceGroupName := ""
diff --git a/pkg/aks/create_test.go b/pkg/aks/create_test.go
index b8292c85..7697cf55 100644
--- a/pkg/aks/create_test.go
+++ b/pkg/aks/create_test.go
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@ var _ = Describe("newManagedCluster", func() {
 		Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
 
 		Expect(managedCluster.Tags).To(HaveKeyWithValue("test-tag", to.Ptr("test-value")))
+		Expect(managedCluster.Tags).To(HaveKeyWithValue("empty-tag", to.Ptr("")))
 		Expect(*managedCluster.Properties.NetworkProfile.NetworkPolicy).To(Equal(armcontainerservice.NetworkPolicy(String(clusterSpec.NetworkPolicy))))
 		Expect(*managedCluster.Properties.NetworkProfile.LoadBalancerSKU).To(Equal(armcontainerservice.LoadBalancerSKU(String(clusterSpec.LoadBalancerSKU))))
 		Expect(*managedCluster.Properties.NetworkProfile.NetworkPlugin).To(Equal(armcontainerservice.NetworkPlugin(String(clusterSpec.NetworkPlugin))))
@@ -537,7 +538,8 @@ func newTestClusterSpec() *aksv1.AKSClusterConfigSpec {
 	return &aksv1.AKSClusterConfigSpec{
 		ResourceLocation: "eastus",
 		Tags: map[string]string{
-			"test-tag": "test-value",
+			"test-tag":  "test-value",
+			"empty-tag": "",
 		},
 		NetworkPolicy:       to.Ptr("azure"),
 		NetworkPlugin:       to.Ptr("azure"),