diff --git a/src/main/java/org/jboss/netty/handler/codec/http/websocketx/WebSocketClientHandshaker00.java b/src/main/java/org/jboss/netty/handler/codec/http/websocketx/WebSocketClientHandshaker00.java
index dbe315a75a..8a8e7ddb34 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/jboss/netty/handler/codec/http/websocketx/WebSocketClientHandshaker00.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/jboss/netty/handler/codec/http/websocketx/WebSocketClientHandshaker00.java
@@ -155,6 +155,10 @@ public class WebSocketClientHandshaker00 extends WebSocketClientHandshaker {
             path = wsURL.getPath() + '?' + wsURL.getQuery();
         }
 
+        if (path == null || path.length() == 0) {
+            path = "/";
+        }
+
         // Format request
         HttpRequest request = new DefaultHttpRequest(HttpVersion.HTTP_1_1, HttpMethod.GET, path);
         request.addHeader(Names.UPGRADE, Values.WEBSOCKET);
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/jboss/netty/handler/codec/http/websocketx/WebSocketClientHandshaker08.java b/src/main/java/org/jboss/netty/handler/codec/http/websocketx/WebSocketClientHandshaker08.java
index 0120523594..bd0f3f4b94 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/jboss/netty/handler/codec/http/websocketx/WebSocketClientHandshaker08.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/jboss/netty/handler/codec/http/websocketx/WebSocketClientHandshaker08.java
@@ -128,6 +128,10 @@ public class WebSocketClientHandshaker08 extends WebSocketClientHandshaker {
             path = wsURL.getPath() + '?' + wsURL.getQuery();
         }
 
+        if (path == null || path.length() == 0) {
+            path = "/";
+        }
+
         // Get 16 bit nonce and base 64 encode it
         ChannelBuffer nonce = ChannelBuffers.wrappedBuffer(WebSocketUtil.randomBytes(16));
         String key = WebSocketUtil.base64(nonce);
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/jboss/netty/handler/codec/http/websocketx/WebSocketClientHandshaker13.java b/src/main/java/org/jboss/netty/handler/codec/http/websocketx/WebSocketClientHandshaker13.java
index 21ac11b535..d344a19415 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/jboss/netty/handler/codec/http/websocketx/WebSocketClientHandshaker13.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/jboss/netty/handler/codec/http/websocketx/WebSocketClientHandshaker13.java
@@ -127,6 +127,10 @@ public class WebSocketClientHandshaker13 extends WebSocketClientHandshaker {
             path = wsURL.getPath() + '?' + wsURL.getQuery();
         }
 
+        if (path == null || path.length() == 0) {
+            path = "/";
+        }
+
         // Get 16 bit nonce and base 64 encode it
         ChannelBuffer nonce = ChannelBuffers.wrappedBuffer(WebSocketUtil.randomBytes(16));
         String key = WebSocketUtil.base64(nonce);