diff --git a/src/libvirt-domain.c b/src/libvirt-domain.c
index 2ca054a328..4e71a94389 100644
--- a/src/libvirt-domain.c
+++ b/src/libvirt-domain.c
@@ -8790,7 +8790,7 @@ virDomainRename(virDomainPtr dom,
 
     virResetLastError();
     virCheckDomainReturn(dom, -1);
-    virCheckNonNullArgGoto(new_name, error);
+    virCheckNonEmptyStringArgGoto(new_name, error);
     virCheckReadOnlyGoto(dom->conn->flags, error);
 
     if (dom->conn->driver->domainRename) {