diff --git a/nifi-commons/nifi-utils/src/main/java/org/apache/nifi/processor/util/StandardValidators.java b/nifi-commons/nifi-utils/src/main/java/org/apache/nifi/processor/util/StandardValidators.java
index 6bf9aaac33..f2ca0a1237 100644
--- a/nifi-commons/nifi-utils/src/main/java/org/apache/nifi/processor/util/StandardValidators.java
+++ b/nifi-commons/nifi-utils/src/main/java/org/apache/nifi/processor/util/StandardValidators.java
@@ -575,7 +575,12 @@ public class StandardValidators {
                 if (input == null) {
                     return new ValidationResult.Builder().subject(subject).input(null).explanation("List must have at least one non-empty element").valid(false).build();
                 }
+
                 final String[] list = input.split(",");
+                if (list.length == 0) {
+                    return new ValidationResult.Builder().subject(subject).input(null).explanation("List must have at least one non-empty element").valid(false).build();
+                }
+
                 for (String item : list) {
                     String itemToValidate = trimEntries ? item.trim() : item;
                     if (!isEmpty(itemToValidate) || !excludeEmptyEntries) {
diff --git a/nifi-commons/nifi-utils/src/test/java/org/apache/nifi/util/validator/TestStandardValidators.java b/nifi-commons/nifi-utils/src/test/java/org/apache/nifi/util/validator/TestStandardValidators.java
index e469955751..6c6bfe986d 100644
--- a/nifi-commons/nifi-utils/src/test/java/org/apache/nifi/util/validator/TestStandardValidators.java
+++ b/nifi-commons/nifi-utils/src/test/java/org/apache/nifi/util/validator/TestStandardValidators.java
@@ -184,6 +184,25 @@ public class TestStandardValidators {
         assertFalse(vr.isValid());
         assertEquals(1, mockValidator.getValidateCallCount());
 
+        // An empty list is the same as null, "" or " "
+        vr = val.validate("List", ",", validationContext);
+        assertFalse(vr.isValid());
+        assertEquals(0, mockValidator.getValidateCallCount());
+
+        vr = val.validate("List", " , ", validationContext);
+        assertFalse(vr.isValid());
+        assertEquals(1, mockValidator.getValidateCallCount());
+
+        // will evaluate to no entry
+        vr = val.validate("List", ",,,,", validationContext);
+        assertFalse(vr.isValid());
+        assertEquals(0, mockValidator.getValidateCallCount());
+
+        // will evaluate to an empty element
+        vr = val.validate("List", ",foo", validationContext);
+        assertFalse(vr.isValid());
+        assertEquals(1, mockValidator.getValidateCallCount());
+
         vr = val.validate("List", "1", validationContext);
         assertTrue(vr.isValid());
         assertEquals(1, mockValidator.getValidateCallCount());