diff --git a/src/paperless/settings.py b/src/paperless/settings.py
index 7b1b600c8..d051a6ebc 100644
--- a/src/paperless/settings.py
+++ b/src/paperless/settings.py
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ def __get_list(
     string, or the default if the key does not exist
     """
     if key in os.environ:
-        return os.environ[key].split(sep)
+        return list(filter(None, os.environ[key].split(sep)))
     elif default is not None:
         return default
     else: