diff --git a/flask/helpers.py b/flask/helpers.py
index 33e87b70..9825202a 100644
--- a/flask/helpers.py
+++ b/flask/helpers.py
@@ -970,7 +970,8 @@ class _PackageBoundObject(object):
             return self._static_url_path
 
         if self.static_folder is not None:
-            return "/" + os.path.basename(self.static_folder)
+            basename = os.path.basename(self.static_folder)
+            return "/" + basename if basename else ""
 
     def _set_static_url_path(self, value):
         self._static_url_path = value
diff --git a/tests/test_basic.py b/tests/test_basic.py
index 7a16ebd4..025b5a99 100644
--- a/tests/test_basic.py
+++ b/tests/test_basic.py
@@ -1427,6 +1427,20 @@ def test_static_url_path_with_ending_slash():
         assert flask.url_for("static", filename="index.html") == "/foo/index.html"
 
 
+def test_static_url_null_path(app):
+    app = flask.Flask(__name__, static_folder='', static_url_path='')
+    rv = app.test_client().open('/static/index.html', method='GET')
+    assert rv.status_code == 200
+    rv.close()
+
+
+def test_static_url_null_path_defaulting(app):
+    app = flask.Flask(__name__, static_folder='')
+    rv = app.test_client().open('/static/index.html', method='GET')
+    assert rv.status_code == 200
+    rv.close()
+
+
 def test_static_route_with_host_matching():
     app = flask.Flask(__name__, host_matching=True, static_host="example.com")
     c = app.test_client()