diff --git a/server.go b/server.go
index f8f9d03dff4..5cb75a0335e 100644
--- a/server.go
+++ b/server.go
@@ -747,6 +747,9 @@ func (s *Server) Databases() (a []string) {
 
 // CreateDatabase creates a new database.
 func (s *Server) CreateDatabase(name string) error {
+	if name == "" {
+		return ErrDatabaseNameRequired
+	}
 	c := &createDatabaseCommand{Name: name}
 	_, err := s.broadcast(createDatabaseMessageType, c)
 	return err
@@ -795,6 +798,9 @@ func (s *Server) applyCreateDatabase(m *messaging.Message) (err error) {
 
 // DropDatabase deletes an existing database.
 func (s *Server) DropDatabase(name string) error {
+	if name == "" {
+		return ErrDatabaseNameRequired
+	}
 	c := &dropDatabaseCommand{Name: name}
 	_, err := s.broadcast(dropDatabaseMessageType, c)
 	return err
diff --git a/server_test.go b/server_test.go
index 69849156eb0..e834faed7c4 100644
--- a/server_test.go
+++ b/server_test.go
@@ -290,6 +290,11 @@ func TestServer_CreateDatabase(t *testing.T) {
 	s := OpenServer(NewMessagingClient())
 	defer s.Close()
 
+	// Attempt creating empty name database.
+	if err := s.CreateDatabase(""); err != influxdb.ErrDatabaseNameRequired {
+		t.Fatal("expected error on empty database name")
+	}
+
 	// Create the "foo" database.
 	if err := s.CreateDatabase("foo"); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
@@ -321,6 +326,11 @@ func TestServer_DropDatabase(t *testing.T) {
 	s := OpenServer(NewMessagingClient())
 	defer s.Close()
 
+	// Attempt creating empty name database.
+	if err := s.DropDatabase(""); err != influxdb.ErrDatabaseNameRequired {
+		t.Fatal("expected error on empty database name")
+	}
+
 	// Create the "foo" database and verify it exists.
 	if err := s.CreateDatabase("foo"); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)