diff --git a/cake/dispatcher.php b/cake/dispatcher.php
index 384272c1d..07b426372 100644
--- a/cake/dispatcher.php
+++ b/cake/dispatcher.php
@@ -605,7 +605,7 @@ class Dispatcher extends Object {
 			if ($tmpUri === '/' || $tmpUri == $baseDir || $tmpUri == $base) {
 				$url = $_GET['url'] = '/';
 			} else {
-				if (strpos($uri, $base) !== false) {
+				if ($base && strpos($uri, $base) !== false) {
 					$elements = explode($base, $uri);
 				} elseif (preg_match('/^[\/\?\/|\/\?|\?\/]/', $uri)) {
 					$elements = array(1 => preg_replace('/^[\/\?\/|\/\?|\?\/]/', '', $uri));
diff --git a/cake/tests/cases/dispatcher.test.php b/cake/tests/cases/dispatcher.test.php
index 915bcb2cf..6a89ade7a 100644
--- a/cake/tests/cases/dispatcher.test.php
+++ b/cake/tests/cases/dispatcher.test.php
@@ -372,6 +372,14 @@ class DispatcherTest extends UnitTestCase {
 		$result = $Dispatcher->getUrl($uri);
 		$expected = 'students/browse';
 		$this->assertEqual($expected, $result);
+
+		$_GET['url'] = array();
+		$Dispatcher =& new Dispatcher();
+		$Dispatcher->base = '';
+		$uri = '/?/home';
+		$result = $Dispatcher->getUrl($uri);
+		$expected = '?/home';
+		$this->assertEqual($expected, $result);
 	}
 
 	function testBaseUrlAndWebrootWithModRewrite() {