diff --git a/src/nvim/eval/funcs.c b/src/nvim/eval/funcs.c
index 4c8e26dfa8..900a5a5a78 100644
--- a/src/nvim/eval/funcs.c
+++ b/src/nvim/eval/funcs.c
@@ -1167,7 +1167,7 @@ static void f_empty(typval_T *argvars, typval_T *rettv, EvalFuncData fptr)
         || *argvars[0].vval.v_string == NUL;
     break;
   case VAR_PARTIAL:
-    n = false;
+    n = argvars[0].vval.v_partial == NULL;
     break;
   case VAR_NUMBER:
     n = argvars[0].vval.v_number == 0;