diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 9c46c6b..9b08b1c 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -10,6 +10,10 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/).
 
 - The popover now uses the Dialog API behind the scenes
 
+### Fixed
+
+- Return early if `selected` is set as an empty string
+
 ## [0.7.2] - 2025-07-04
 
 ### Changed
diff --git a/app/components/impulse/select_component.rb b/app/components/impulse/select_component.rb
index af0bf96..9484aa5 100644
--- a/app/components/impulse/select_component.rb
+++ b/app/components/impulse/select_component.rb
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ def initialize(object_name, method_name, choices = [], selected: nil, **system_a
     private
 
     def value
-      return if @selected.nil?
+      return if @selected.blank?
       return @selected.map { |value| find_option(value) }.compact if multiple?
       find_option(@selected)
     end
diff --git a/test/components/select_component_test.rb b/test/components/select_component_test.rb
index 81ce9e7..ce22b89 100644
--- a/test/components/select_component_test.rb
+++ b/test/components/select_component_test.rb
@@ -86,6 +86,8 @@ class SelectComponentTest < ApplicationTest
         render_inline(Impulse::SelectComponent.new(:user, :fruit_id, ["Apple", "Guava"], selected: "Invalid"))
         render_inline(Impulse::SelectComponent.new(:user, :fruit_id, ["Apple", "Guava"], selected: ["", "Apple"], multiple: true))
         render_inline(Impulse::SelectComponent.new(:user, :fruit_id, ["Apple", "Guava"], selected: ["Invalid", "Apple"], multiple: true))
+        render_inline(Impulse::SelectComponent.new(:user, :fruit_id, ["Apple", "Guava"], selected: "", multiple: true))
+        render_inline(Impulse::SelectComponent.new(:user, :fruit_id, ["Apple", "Guava"], selected: nil, multiple: true))
       end
     end