diff --git a/src/applications/macro/engine/PhabricatorMemeEngine.php b/src/applications/macro/engine/PhabricatorMemeEngine.php
--- a/src/applications/macro/engine/PhabricatorMemeEngine.php
+++ b/src/applications/macro/engine/PhabricatorMemeEngine.php
@@ -273,7 +273,7 @@
     $size = $metrics['size'];
 
     $above = $this->getAboveText();
-    if (strlen($above)) {
+    if ($above !== null && phutil_nonempty_string(trim($above))) {
       $x = (int)floor(($dx - $metrics['text']['above']['width']) / 2);
       $y = $metrics['text']['above']['height'] + 12;
 
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@
     }
 
     $below = $this->getBelowText();
-    if (strlen($below)) {
+    if ($below !== null && phutil_nonempty_string(trim($below))) {
       $x = (int)floor(($dx - $metrics['text']['below']['width']) / 2);
       $y = $dy - 12 - $metrics['text']['below']['descend'];