diff --git a/modules/shortcut/shortcut.admin.inc b/modules/shortcut/shortcut.admin.inc
index 9735d37..ee4e89f 100644
--- a/modules/shortcut/shortcut.admin.inc
+++ b/modules/shortcut/shortcut.admin.inc
@@ -461,7 +461,7 @@ function _shortcut_link_form_elements($shortcut_link = NULL) {
     );
   }
   else {
-    $shortcut_link['link_path'] = drupal_get_path_alias($shortcut_link['link_path']);
+    $shortcut_link['link_path'] = ($shortcut_link['link_path'] == '<front>') ? '' : drupal_get_path_alias($shortcut_link['link_path']);
   }
 
   $form['shortcut_link']['#tree'] = TRUE;
@@ -509,10 +509,13 @@ function shortcut_link_edit_validate($form, &$form_state) {
  */
 function shortcut_link_edit_submit($form, &$form_state) {
   // Normalize the path in case it is an alias.
-  $form_state['values']['shortcut_link']['link_path'] = drupal_get_normal_path($form_state['values']['shortcut_link']['link_path']);
+  $shortcut_path = drupal_get_normal_path($form_state['values']['shortcut_link']['link_path']);
+  if (empty($shortcut_path)) {
+    $shortcut_path = '<front>';
+  }
+  $form_state['values']['shortcut_link']['link_path'] = $shortcut_path;
 
   $shortcut_link = array_merge($form_state['values']['original_shortcut_link'], $form_state['values']['shortcut_link']);
-
   menu_link_save($shortcut_link);
   $form_state['redirect'] = 'admin/config/user-interface/shortcut/' . $shortcut_link['menu_name'];
   drupal_set_message(t('The shortcut %link has been updated.', array('%link' => $shortcut_link['link_title'])));
@@ -566,6 +569,9 @@ function shortcut_admin_add_link($shortcut_link, &$shortcut_set, $limit = NULL)
 
   // Normalize the path in case it is an alias.
   $shortcut_link['link_path'] = drupal_get_normal_path($shortcut_link['link_path']);
+  if (empty($shortcut_link['link_path'])) {
+    $shortcut_link['link_path'] = '<front>';
+  }
 
   // Add the link to the end of the list.
   $shortcut_set->links[] = $shortcut_link;
diff --git a/modules/shortcut/shortcut.module b/modules/shortcut/shortcut.module
index 8642d9d..ee3b760 100644
--- a/modules/shortcut/shortcut.module
+++ b/modules/shortcut/shortcut.module
@@ -618,7 +618,8 @@ function shortcut_valid_link($path) {
     $path = $normal_path;
   }
   // Only accept links that correspond to valid paths on the site itself.
-  return !url_is_external($path) && menu_get_item($path);
+  // An empty path is valid too and will be converted to <front>.
+  return (!url_is_external($path) && menu_get_item($path)) || empty($path) || $path == '<front>';
 }
 
 /**