diff --git a/lib/jquery.webfonts.js b/lib/jquery.webfonts.js
index 23ca992a..ea14f917 100644
--- a/lib/jquery.webfonts.js
+++ b/lib/jquery.webfonts.js
@@ -70,8 +70,12 @@
 		apply : function(fontFamily, $element) {
 			$element = $element || this.$element;
 			var fontStack = this.options.fontStack.slice(0);
-			this.load(fontFamily);
-			fontStack.unshift(fontFamily);
+			// Loading an empty string is pointless.
+			// Putting an empty string into a font-family list doesn't work with jQuery.css().
+			if ( fontFamily ) {
+				this.load(fontFamily);
+				fontStack.unshift(fontFamily);
+			}
 			$element.css('font-family', fontStack.join() );
 			$element.find('textarea, input').css('font-family', fontStack.join());
 		},