diff --git a/wxPython/src/my_typemaps.i b/wxPython/src/my_typemaps.i
index ea5588022d..331ccc07eb 100644
--- a/wxPython/src/my_typemaps.i
+++ b/wxPython/src/my_typemaps.i
@@ -125,7 +125,10 @@ MAKE_INT_ARRAY_TYPEMAPS(styles, styles_field)
 
 
 %typemap(out) wxCharBuffer {
-    $result = PyString_FromString((char*)$1.data());
+    if ($1.data())
+        $result = PyString_FromString((char*)$1.data());
+    else
+        $result = PyString_FromString("");
 }