1 files changed, 14 insertions, 2 deletions
diff --git a/cpp/src/qpid/store/ms-sql/VariantHelper.cpp b/cpp/src/qpid/store/ms-sql/VariantHelper.cpp
index 786724f031..acec95c1f9 100644
--- a/cpp/src/qpid/store/ms-sql/VariantHelper.cpp
+++ b/cpp/src/qpid/store/ms-sql/VariantHelper.cpp
@@ -41,13 +41,25 @@ VariantHelper<Wrapped>::operator const _variant_t& () const
 // Specialization for using _variant_t to wrap a std::string
 VariantHelper<std::string>::VariantHelper(const std::string &init)
 {
-    var.SetString(init.c_str());
+    if (init.empty() || init.length() == 0) {
+        var.vt = VT_BSTR;
+        var.bstrVal = NULL;
+    }
+    else {
+        var.SetString(init.c_str());
+    }
 }
 
 VariantHelper<std::string>&
 VariantHelper<std::string>::operator=(const std::string &rhs)
 {
-    var.SetString(rhs.c_str());
+    if (rhs.empty() || rhs.length() == 0) {
+        var.vt = VT_BSTR;
+        var.bstrVal = NULL;
+    }
+    else {
+        var.SetString(rhs.c_str());
+    }
     return *this;
 }