diff --git a/django/db/models/sql/query.py b/django/db/models/sql/query.py
index fb42cfc5db..acb9f248d6 100644
--- a/django/db/models/sql/query.py
+++ b/django/db/models/sql/query.py
@@ -1078,6 +1078,14 @@ class Query(object):
         elif isinstance(value, ExpressionNode):
             # If value is a query expression, evaluate it
             value = SQLEvaluator(value, self, reuse=can_reuse)
+        # For Oracle '' is equivalent to null. The check needs to be done
+        # at this stage because join promotion can't be done at compiler
+        # stage. Using DEFAULT_DB_ALIAS isn't nice, but it is the best we
+        # can do here. Similar thing is done in is_nullable(), too.
+        if (connections[DEFAULT_DB_ALIAS].features.interprets_empty_strings_as_nulls and
+                lookup_type == 'exact' and value == ''):
+            value = True
+            lookup_type = 'isnull'
 
         for alias, aggregate in self.aggregates.items():
             if alias in (parts[0], LOOKUP_SEP.join(parts)):
diff --git a/tests/queries/tests.py b/tests/queries/tests.py
index 806648aa54..cdc26248c9 100644
--- a/tests/queries/tests.py
+++ b/tests/queries/tests.py
@@ -1785,7 +1785,6 @@ class Queries6Tests(TestCase):
 
         # Nested queries are possible (although should be used with care, since
         # they have performance problems on backends like MySQL.
-
         self.assertQuerysetEqual(
             Annotation.objects.filter(notes__in=Note.objects.filter(note="n1")),
             ['<Annotation: a1>']
@@ -2824,3 +2823,11 @@ class Ticket20101Tests(TestCase):
         self.assertTrue(n in qs1)
         self.assertFalse(n in qs2)
         self.assertTrue(n in (qs1 | qs2))
+
+class EmptyStringPromotionTests(TestCase):
+    def test_empty_string_promotion(self):
+        qs = RelatedObject.objects.filter(single__name='')
+        if connection.features.interprets_empty_strings_as_nulls:
+            self.assertIn('LEFT OUTER JOIN', str(qs.query))
+        else:
+            self.assertNotIn('LEFT OUTER JOIN', str(qs.query))