diff --git a/src/config/config_type.rs b/src/config/config_type.rs
index 7f7e8905fba92..2eff7561392c3 100644
--- a/src/config/config_type.rs
+++ b/src/config/config_type.rs
@@ -293,10 +293,12 @@ macro_rules! create_config {
             fn set_license_template(&mut self) {
                 if self.was_set().license_template_path() {
                     let lt_path = self.license_template_path();
-                    match license::load_and_compile_template(&lt_path) {
-                        Ok(re) => self.license_template = Some(re),
-                        Err(msg) => eprintln!("Warning for license template file {:?}: {}",
-                                              lt_path, msg),
+                    if lt_path.len() > 0 {
+                        match license::load_and_compile_template(&lt_path) {
+                            Ok(re) => self.license_template = Some(re),
+                            Err(msg) => eprintln!("Warning for license template file {:?}: {}",
+                                                lt_path, msg),
+                        }
                     }
                 }
             }
diff --git a/src/config/mod.rs b/src/config/mod.rs
index a4930b7c57515..1d0217f27b10d 100644
--- a/src/config/mod.rs
+++ b/src/config/mod.rs
@@ -467,6 +467,20 @@ mod test {
         assert_eq!(s.contains("(unstable)"), true);
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn test_empty_string_license_template_path() {
+        let toml = r#"license_template_path = """#;
+        let config = Config::from_toml(toml, Path::new("")).unwrap();
+        assert!(config.license_template.is_none());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_valid_license_template_path() {
+        let toml = r#"license_template_path = "tests/license-template/lt.txt""#;
+        let config = Config::from_toml(toml, Path::new("")).unwrap();
+        assert!(config.license_template.is_some());
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn test_dump_default_config() {
         let default_config = format!(
diff --git a/tests/config/issue-3802.toml b/tests/config/issue-3802.toml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..74ee8b010dd05
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/config/issue-3802.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+unstable_features = true
+license_template_path = ""
diff --git a/tests/license-template/lt.txt b/tests/license-template/lt.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..ea4390371a09a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/license-template/lt.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+// rustfmt-license_template_path: tests/license-template/lt.txt
+// Copyright {\d+} The rustfmt developers.
diff --git a/tests/source/license-templates/empty_license_path.rs b/tests/source/license-templates/empty_license_path.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..d3a91e4231d19
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/source/license-templates/empty_license_path.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+// rustfmt-config: issue-3802.toml
+
+fn main() {
+println!("Hello world!");
+}
diff --git a/tests/source/license-templates/license.rs b/tests/source/license-templates/license.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..6816011c60dc5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/source/license-templates/license.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+// rustfmt-license_template_path: tests/license-template/lt.txt
+// Copyright 2019 The rustfmt developers.
+
+fn main() {
+println!("Hello world!");
+}
diff --git a/tests/target/license-templates/empty_license_path.rs b/tests/target/license-templates/empty_license_path.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..950f103ed3922
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/target/license-templates/empty_license_path.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+// rustfmt-config: issue-3802.toml
+
+fn main() {
+    println!("Hello world!");
+}
diff --git a/tests/target/license-templates/license.rs b/tests/target/license-templates/license.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..7169c7b257615
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/target/license-templates/license.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+// rustfmt-license_template_path: tests/license-template/lt.txt
+// Copyright 2019 The rustfmt developers.
+
+fn main() {
+    println!("Hello world!");
+}