diff --git a/includes/content.inc b/includes/content.inc
index a55f7ec..e345cc7 100644
--- a/includes/content.inc
+++ b/includes/content.inc
@@ -277,10 +277,6 @@ function ctools_content_render($type, $subtype, $conf, $keywords = array(), $arg
 
     $content = $function($subtype, $conf, $args, $pane_context, $incoming_content);
 
-    if (empty($content)) {
-      return;
-    }
-
     // Set up some defaults and other massaging on the content before we hand
     // it back to the caller.
     if (!isset($content->type)) {