diff --git a/java/compiler/impl/src/com/intellij/compiler/server/BuildManager.java b/java/compiler/impl/src/com/intellij/compiler/server/BuildManager.java
index 0efa25f378ac..44a9e6ab979b 100644
--- a/java/compiler/impl/src/com/intellij/compiler/server/BuildManager.java
+++ b/java/compiler/impl/src/com/intellij/compiler/server/BuildManager.java
@@ -525,7 +525,7 @@ public class BuildManager implements ApplicationComponent{
     }
 
     final String defaultCharset = EncodingManager.getInstance().getDefaultCharsetName();
-    if (defaultCharset != null) {
+    if (!StringUtil.isEmpty(defaultCharset)) {
       cmdBuilder.setGlobalEncoding(defaultCharset);
     }
 
diff --git a/jps/jps-builders/src/org/jetbrains/jps/cmdline/BuildSession.java b/jps/jps-builders/src/org/jetbrains/jps/cmdline/BuildSession.java
index 7838b9d84135..5ec0df3ea587 100644
--- a/jps/jps-builders/src/org/jetbrains/jps/cmdline/BuildSession.java
+++ b/jps/jps-builders/src/org/jetbrains/jps/cmdline/BuildSession.java
@@ -477,7 +477,7 @@ final class BuildSession implements Runnable, CanceledStatus {
       final String loadPath = isDirectoryBased(projectFile) ? new File(projectFile, IDEA_PROJECT_DIRNAME).getPath() : projectPath;
       IdeaProjectLoader.loadFromPath(project, loadPath, myPathVars, null, new SystemOutErrorReporter(false));
       final String globalEncoding = myGlobalEncoding;
-      if (globalEncoding != null && project.getProjectCharset() == null) {
+      if (!StringUtil.isEmpty(globalEncoding) && project.getProjectCharset() == null) {
         project.setProjectCharset(globalEncoding);
       }
       project.getIgnoredFilePatterns().loadFromString(myIgnorePatterns);