diff --git a/src/Stringy.php b/src/Stringy.php
index 73b3f2f..63dcbd8 100644
--- a/src/Stringy.php
+++ b/src/Stringy.php
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ class Stringy implements \Countable, \IteratorAggregate, \ArrayAccess
      * @throws \InvalidArgumentException if an array or object without a
      *         __toString method is passed as the first argument
      */
-    public function __construct($str, $encoding = null)
+    public function __construct($str = '', $encoding = null)
     {
         if (is_array($str)) {
             throw new \InvalidArgumentException(
diff --git a/tests/StringyTest.php b/tests/StringyTest.php
index 47b825d..03ef5fb 100644
--- a/tests/StringyTest.php
+++ b/tests/StringyTest.php
@@ -24,6 +24,13 @@ class StringyTestCase extends PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase
         $this->assertEquals('UTF-8', $stringy->getEncoding());
     }
 
+    public function testEmptyConstruct()
+    {
+        $stringy = new S();
+        $this->assertStringy($stringy);
+        $this->assertEquals('', (string) $stringy);
+    }
+
     /**
      * @expectedException InvalidArgumentException
      */