diff --git a/core/lib/Drupal/Component/Gettext/PoItem.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Component/Gettext/PoItem.php
index 599a58a..e7edbff 100644
--- a/core/lib/Drupal/Component/Gettext/PoItem.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Component/Gettext/PoItem.php
@@ -256,8 +256,8 @@ private function formatPlural() {
    */
   private function formatSingular() {
     $output = '';
-    $output .= 'msgid '. $this->formatString($this->_source);
-    $output .= 'msgstr '. (isset($this->_translation) ? $this->formatString($this->_translation) : '');
+    $output .= 'msgid ' . $this->formatString($this->_source);
+    $output .= 'msgstr ' . (isset($this->_translation) ? $this->formatString($this->_translation) : '""');
     return $output;
   }
 
diff --git a/core/modules/locale/lib/Drupal/locale/Tests/LocaleExportTest.php b/core/modules/locale/lib/Drupal/locale/Tests/LocaleExportTest.php
index 954e74d..f6cc32c 100644
--- a/core/modules/locale/lib/Drupal/locale/Tests/LocaleExportTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/locale/lib/Drupal/locale/Tests/LocaleExportTest.php
@@ -113,8 +113,8 @@ function testExportTranslation() {
     $this->assertRaw('# French translation of Drupal', t('Exported French translation file with only untranslated strings.'));
     // Ensure no customized translations exist in the file.
     $this->assertNoRaw('msgstr "janvier"', t('French custom translation not present in exported file.'));
-    // Ensure the untranslated strings exist in the file.
-    $this->assertRaw('msgid "February"', t('Untranslated string present in exported file.'));
+    // Ensure the untranslated strings exist in the file, and with right quotes.
+    $this->assertRaw($this->getUntranslatedString(), t('Empty string present in exported file.'));
   }
 
   /**
@@ -168,4 +168,17 @@ function getCustomPoFile() {
 EOF;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Returns a .po file fragment with an untranslated string.
+   *
+   * @return string
+   *   A .po file fragment with an untranslated string.
+   */
+  function getUntranslatedString() {
+    return <<< EOF
+msgid "February"
+msgstr ""
+EOF;
+  }
+
 }