diff --git a/course/recent.php b/course/recent.php
index 72bb761bad0..9738ac447bd 100644
--- a/course/recent.php
+++ b/course/recent.php
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ if (!empty($activities)) {
                 echo $OUTPUT->spacer(array('height'=>30, 'br'=>true)); // should be done with CSS instead
             }
             echo $OUTPUT->box_start();
-            if (!empty($activity->name)) {
+            if (strval($activity->name) !== '') {
                 echo html_writer::tag('h2', $activity->name);
             }
             $inbox = true;
diff --git a/course/rest.php b/course/rest.php
index eed9a3da393..675f3671e96 100644
--- a/course/rest.php
+++ b/course/rest.php
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ switch($requestmethod) {
                             $module->name = clean_param($title, PARAM_CLEANHTML);
                         }
 
-                        if (!empty($module->name)) {
+                        if (strval($module->name) !== '') {
                             $DB->update_record($cm->modname, $module);
                             $cm->name = $module->name;
                             \core\event\course_module_updated::create_from_cm($cm, $modcontext)->trigger();
diff --git a/grade/grading/lib.php b/grade/grading/lib.php
index 215d346bd93..46fd52a83c0 100644
--- a/grade/grading/lib.php
+++ b/grade/grading/lib.php
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ class grading_manager {
         } else if ($this->get_context()->contextlevel >= CONTEXT_COURSE) {
             list($context, $course, $cm) = get_context_info_array($this->get_context()->id);
 
-            if (!empty($cm->name)) {
+            if (strval($cm->name) !== '') {
                 $title = $cm->name;
             } else {
                 debugging('Gradable areas are currently supported at the course module level only', DEBUG_DEVELOPER);
diff --git a/lib/classes/event/calendar_event_created.php b/lib/classes/event/calendar_event_created.php
index 28c47a07e71..98fa0f4c895 100644
--- a/lib/classes/event/calendar_event_created.php
+++ b/lib/classes/event/calendar_event_created.php
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ class calendar_event_created extends base {
         if (!isset($this->other['repeatid'])) {
             throw new \coding_exception('The \'repeatid\' value must be set in other.');
         }
-        if (empty($this->other['name'])) {
+        if (!isset($this->other['name'])) {
             throw new \coding_exception('The \'name\' value must be set in other.');
         }
         if (!isset($this->other['timestart'])) {
diff --git a/lib/classes/event/calendar_event_deleted.php b/lib/classes/event/calendar_event_deleted.php
index 933f0b075dc..cdd013bf099 100644
--- a/lib/classes/event/calendar_event_deleted.php
+++ b/lib/classes/event/calendar_event_deleted.php
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ class calendar_event_deleted extends base {
         if (!isset($this->other['repeatid'])) {
             throw new \coding_exception('The \'repeatid\' value must be set in other.');
         }
-        if (empty($this->other['name'])) {
+        if (!isset($this->other['name'])) {
             throw new \coding_exception('The \'name\' value must be set in other.');
         }
         if (!isset($this->other['timestart'])) {
diff --git a/lib/classes/event/calendar_event_updated.php b/lib/classes/event/calendar_event_updated.php
index 0a810c297c4..86971414725 100644
--- a/lib/classes/event/calendar_event_updated.php
+++ b/lib/classes/event/calendar_event_updated.php
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ class calendar_event_updated extends base {
         if (!isset($this->other['repeatid'])) {
             throw new \coding_exception('The \'repeatid\' value must be set in other.');
         }
-        if (empty($this->other['name'])) {
+        if (!isset($this->other['name'])) {
             throw new \coding_exception('The \'name\' value must be set in other.');
         }
         if (!isset($this->other['timestart'])) {
diff --git a/lib/grade/grade_item.php b/lib/grade/grade_item.php
index 145b6deeff7..d470795a6d4 100644
--- a/lib/grade/grade_item.php
+++ b/lib/grade/grade_item.php
@@ -1304,7 +1304,7 @@ class grade_item extends grade_object {
      * @return string name
      */
     public function get_name($fulltotal=false) {
-        if (!empty($this->itemname)) {
+        if (strval($this->itemname) !== '') {
             // MDL-10557
             return format_string($this->itemname);
 
diff --git a/lib/modinfolib.php b/lib/modinfolib.php
index 2621a3f4d8b..03a9dd18e3d 100644
--- a/lib/modinfolib.php
+++ b/lib/modinfolib.php
@@ -492,7 +492,7 @@ class course_modinfo {
         // Loop through each piece of module data, constructing it
         static $modexists = array();
         foreach ($coursemodinfo->modinfo as $mod) {
-            if (empty($mod->name)) {
+            if (strval($mod->name) === '') {
                 // something is wrong here
                 continue;
             }