diff --git a/django/utils/translation/trans_real.py b/django/utils/translation/trans_real.py
index 051edb8b23..0fe5ebd7ae 100644
--- a/django/utils/translation/trans_real.py
+++ b/django/utils/translation/trans_real.py
@@ -544,7 +544,7 @@ def templatize(src, origin=None):
     from django.template import (Lexer, TOKEN_TEXT, TOKEN_VAR, TOKEN_BLOCK,
             TOKEN_COMMENT, TRANSLATOR_COMMENT_MARK)
     src = force_text(src, settings.FILE_CHARSET)
-    out = StringIO()
+    out = StringIO('')
     message_context = None
     intrans = False
     inplural = False
diff --git a/tests/i18n/commands/templates/empty.html b/tests/i18n/commands/templates/empty.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e69de29bb2