diff --git a/search/filters/ExactMatchFilter.php b/search/filters/ExactMatchFilter.php
index 515fa254e..dbcd2ed63 100644
--- a/search/filters/ExactMatchFilter.php
+++ b/search/filters/ExactMatchFilter.php
@@ -56,6 +56,10 @@ class ExactMatchFilter extends SearchFilter {
 			// For queries using the default collation (no explicit case) we can use the WHERE .. IN .. syntax,
 			// providing simpler SQL than many WHERE .. OR .. fragments.
 			$column = $this->getDbName();
+			// If values is an empty array, fall back to 3.1 behaviour and use empty string comparison
+			if(empty($values)) {
+				$values = array('');
+			}
 			$placeholders = DB::placeholders($values);
 			return $query->where(array(
 				"$column IN ($placeholders)" => $values
@@ -109,6 +113,10 @@ class ExactMatchFilter extends SearchFilter {
 			// For queries using the default collation (no explicit case) we can use the WHERE .. NOT IN .. syntax,
 			// providing simpler SQL than many WHERE .. AND .. fragments.
 			$column = $this->getDbName();
+			// If values is an empty array, fall back to 3.1 behaviour and use empty string comparison
+			if(empty($values)) {
+				$values = array('');
+			}
 			$placeholders = DB::placeholders($values);
 			return $query->where(array(
 				"$column NOT IN ($placeholders)" => $values
diff --git a/tests/model/DataListTest.php b/tests/model/DataListTest.php
index 7d7b453bc..5c6ca0ac0 100755
--- a/tests/model/DataListTest.php
+++ b/tests/model/DataListTest.php
@@ -897,6 +897,26 @@ class DataListTest extends SapphireTest {
 		$this->assertEquals(array('Bob'), $parameters);
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Test exact match filter with empty array items
+	 */
+	public function testEmptyFilter() {
+		$list = DataObjectTest_TeamComment::get();
+		$list = $list->exclude('Name', array());
+
+		$sql = $list->sql($parameters);
+		$this->assertSQLContains('WHERE (("DataObjectTest_TeamComment"."Name" NOT IN (?)))', $sql);
+		$this->assertEquals(array(''), $parameters);
+
+
+		$list = DataObjectTest_TeamComment::get();
+		$list = $list->filter('Name', array());
+
+		$sql = $list->sql($parameters);
+		$this->assertSQLContains('WHERE ("DataObjectTest_TeamComment"."Name" IN (?))', $sql);
+		$this->assertEquals(array(''), $parameters);
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * $list->exclude(array('Name'=>'bob, 'Age'=>array(21, 43))); // exclude bob with Age 21 or 43
 	 */