diff --git a/mopidy/mpd/protocol/music_db.py b/mopidy/mpd/protocol/music_db.py
index 300f95e8..9497cde7 100644
--- a/mopidy/mpd/protocol/music_db.py
+++ b/mopidy/mpd/protocol/music_db.py
@@ -41,7 +41,9 @@ def _query_from_mpd_search_parameters(parameters, mapping):
             raise exceptions.MpdArgError('incorrect arguments')
         if not parameters:
             raise ValueError
-        query.setdefault(field, []).append(parameters.pop(0))
+        value = parameters.pop(0)
+        if value.strip():
+            query.setdefault(field, []).append(value)
     return query
 
 
diff --git a/tests/mpd/protocol/test_music_db.py b/tests/mpd/protocol/test_music_db.py
index 608bbf62..b19f29c0 100644
--- a/tests/mpd/protocol/test_music_db.py
+++ b/tests/mpd/protocol/test_music_db.py
@@ -15,6 +15,16 @@ class QueryFromMpdSearchFormatTest(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(result['date'][0], '1974-01-02')
         self.assertEqual(result['date'][1], '1975')
 
+    def test_empty_value_is_ignored(self):
+        result = music_db._query_from_mpd_search_parameters(
+            ['Date', ''], music_db._SEARCH_MAPPING)
+        self.assertEqual(result, {})
+
+    def test_whitespace_value_is_ignored(self):
+        result = music_db._query_from_mpd_search_parameters(
+            ['Date', '  '], music_db._SEARCH_MAPPING)
+        self.assertEqual(result, {})
+
     # TODO Test more mappings