diff --git a/src/virtual-machine.js b/src/virtual-machine.js
index 1431640fb..aae77937d 100644
--- a/src/virtual-machine.js
+++ b/src/virtual-machine.js
@@ -204,7 +204,9 @@ VirtualMachine.prototype.renameSprite = function (targetId, newName) {
         if (!sprite) {
             throw new Error('No sprite associated with this target.');
         }
-        sprite.name = newName;
+        if (newName) {
+            sprite.name = newName;
+        }
         this.emitTargetsUpdate();
     } else {
         throw new Error('No target with the provided id.');
diff --git a/test/unit/virtual-machine.js b/test/unit/virtual-machine.js
index 75c857965..28bcdd764 100644
--- a/test/unit/virtual-machine.js
+++ b/test/unit/virtual-machine.js
@@ -49,3 +49,15 @@ test('renameSprite sets the sprite name', function (t) {
     t.equal(fakeTarget.sprite.name, 'not-original');
     t.end();
 });
+
+test('renameSprite does not set sprite names to an empty string ', function (t) {
+    var vm = new VirtualMachine();
+    var fakeTarget = {
+        sprite: {name: 'original'},
+        isSprite: () => true
+    };
+    vm.runtime.getTargetById = () => (fakeTarget);
+    vm.renameSprite('id', '');
+    t.equal(fakeTarget.sprite.name, 'original');
+    t.end();
+});