diff --git a/phpseclib/Net/SFTP.php b/phpseclib/Net/SFTP.php
index 915e23fd..6dc90545 100644
--- a/phpseclib/Net/SFTP.php
+++ b/phpseclib/Net/SFTP.php
@@ -2185,6 +2185,10 @@ class SFTP extends SSH2
             return false;
         }
 
+        if (empty($path)) {
+            return false;
+        }
+
         $path = $this->_realpath($path);
         if ($path === false) {
             return false;