diff --git a/src/emqx_frame.erl b/src/emqx_frame.erl
index 48e8b71fb..aa71b16ae 100644
--- a/src/emqx_frame.erl
+++ b/src/emqx_frame.erl
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ parse_packet(#mqtt_packet_header{type = ?CONNACK}, <<AckFlags:8, ReasonCode:8, R
 
 parse_packet(#mqtt_packet_header{type = ?PUBLISH, qos = QoS}, Bin,
              #{strict_mode := StrictMode, version := Ver}) ->
-    {TopicName, Rest} = parse_utf8_string(Bin, StrictMode),
+    {TopicName, Rest} = parse_topic_name(Bin, StrictMode),
     {PacketId, Rest1} = case QoS of
                             ?QOS_0 -> {undefined, Rest};
                             _ -> parse_packet_id(Rest)
@@ -357,7 +357,7 @@ parse_will_message(Packet = #mqtt_packet_connect{will_flag = true,
                                                  proto_ver = Ver},
                    Bin, StrictMode) ->
     {Props, Rest} = parse_properties(Bin, Ver, StrictMode),
-    {Topic, Rest1} = parse_utf8_string(Rest, StrictMode),
+    {Topic, Rest1} = parse_topic_name(Rest, StrictMode),
     {Payload, Rest2} = parse_binary_data(Rest1),
     {Packet#mqtt_packet_connect{will_props   = Props,
                                 will_topic   = Topic,
@@ -524,6 +524,14 @@ parse_binary_data(Bin)
   when 2 > byte_size(Bin) ->
     error(malformed_binary_data_length).
 
+parse_topic_name(Bin, false) ->
+    parse_utf8_string(Bin, false);
+parse_topic_name(Bin, true) ->
+    case parse_utf8_string(Bin, true) of
+        {<<>>, _Rest} -> error(empty_topic_name);
+        Result -> Result
+    end.
+
 %%--------------------------------------------------------------------
 %% Serialize MQTT Packet
 %%--------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/test/emqx_frame_SUITE.erl b/test/emqx_frame_SUITE.erl
index d98786e99..81c861bdb 100644
--- a/test/emqx_frame_SUITE.erl
+++ b/test/emqx_frame_SUITE.erl
@@ -162,6 +162,14 @@ t_parse_malformed_utf8_string(_) ->
     ParseState = emqx_frame:initial_parse_state(#{strict_mode => true}),
     ?catch_error(utf8_string_invalid, emqx_frame:parse(MalformedPacket, ParseState)).
 
+t_parse_empty_topic_name(_) ->
+    Packet = <<48, 4, 0, 0, 0, 1>>,
+    NormalState = emqx_frame:initial_parse_state(#{strict_mode => false}),
+    ?assertMatch({_, _}, emqx_frame:parse(Packet, NormalState)),
+
+    StrictState = emqx_frame:initial_parse_state(#{strict_mode => true}),
+    ?catch_error(empty_topic_name, emqx_frame:parse(Packet, StrictState)).
+
 t_parse_frame_proxy_protocol(_) ->
     BinList = [ <<"PROXY TCP4 ">>, <<"PROXY TCP6 ">>, <<"PROXY UNKNOWN">>
               , <<"\r\n\r\n\0\r\nQUIT\n">>],