diff --git a/frappe/client.py b/frappe/client.py
index 22da72534e..bc51d4c54f 100644
--- a/frappe/client.py
+++ b/frappe/client.py
@@ -72,6 +72,11 @@ def get_value(doctype, fieldname, filters=None, as_dict=True, debug=False):
 		fieldname = "name"
 		pass
 
+	# check whether the used filters were really parseable and usable
+	# and did not just result in an empty string or dict
+	if not filters:
+		filters = None
+
 	return frappe.db.get_value(doctype, filters, fieldname, as_dict=as_dict, debug=debug)
 
 @frappe.whitelist()