diff --git a/lodash.src.js b/lodash.src.js
index 2634141b5..e7d242ef7 100644
--- a/lodash.src.js
+++ b/lodash.src.js
@@ -10492,7 +10492,7 @@
       string = baseToString(string);
       return (string && reHasRegExpChars.test(string))
         ? string.replace(reRegExpChars, '\\$&')
-        : string;
+        : (string || '(?:)');
     }
 
     /**