diff --git a/env.go b/env.go
index 2a6e086ab..29aeba19d 100644
--- a/env.go
+++ b/env.go
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@ type Env struct {
 // It returns the value, or the default (or an emptry string) if the variable is
 // not set.
 func (e *Env) Getenv(key string, def ...string) string {
-	val, ok := os.LookupEnv(key)
-	if !ok && len(def) > 0 {
+	val := os.Getenv(key)
+	if val == "" && len(def) > 0 {
 		return def[0]
 	}
 
diff --git a/test/integration/envvars.bats b/test/integration/envvars.bats
index 6bec5695a..c8a69dddc 100644
--- a/test/integration/envvars.bats
+++ b/test/integration/envvars.bats
@@ -27,6 +27,12 @@ load helper
   [[ "${output}" == "foo" ]]
 }
 
+@test "default string with empty env var using getenv" {
+  FOO="" gomplate -i '{{getenv "FOO" "foo"}}'
+  [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+  [[ "${output}" == "foo" ]]
+}
+
 @test "existant env var using .Env" {
   gomplate -i '{{.Env.HOME}}'
   [ "$status" -eq 0 ]