diff --git a/backup/backup.php b/backup/backup.php
index 53e037e36f3..3c883438d96 100644
--- a/backup/backup.php
+++ b/backup/backup.php
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ switch ($type) {
     case backup::TYPE_1SECTION :
         $coursecontext = get_context_instance(CONTEXT_COURSE, $course->id);
         require_capability('moodle/backup:backupsection', $coursecontext);
-        if (!empty($section->name)) {
+        if ((string)$section->name !== '') {
             $sectionname = format_string($section->name, true, array('context' => $coursecontext));
             $heading = get_string('backupsection', 'backup', $sectionname);
             $PAGE->navbar->add($sectionname);
diff --git a/backup/moodle2/restore_stepslib.php b/backup/moodle2/restore_stepslib.php
index f35b4c16b99..4f840c4a11c 100644
--- a/backup/moodle2/restore_stepslib.php
+++ b/backup/moodle2/restore_stepslib.php
@@ -1027,7 +1027,7 @@ class restore_section_structure_step extends restore_structure_step {
         // Section exists, update non-empty information
         } else {
             $section->id = $secrec->id;
-            if (empty($secrec->name)) {
+            if ((string)$secrec->name === '') {
                 $section->name = $data->name;
             }
             if (empty($secrec->summary)) {
diff --git a/backup/util/factories/backup_factory.class.php b/backup/util/factories/backup_factory.class.php
index a24905c51c8..e58650d87a1 100644
--- a/backup/util/factories/backup_factory.class.php
+++ b/backup/util/factories/backup_factory.class.php
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ abstract class backup_factory {
             throw new backup_task_exception('section_task_section_not_found', $sectionid);
         }
 
-        return new backup_section_task(empty($section->name) ? $section->section : $section->name, $sectionid);
+        return new backup_section_task((string)$section->name !== '' ? $section->section : $section->name, $sectionid);
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/backup/util/ui/backup_ui_setting.class.php b/backup/util/ui/backup_ui_setting.class.php
index 3db20a109e0..c18d46338cf 100644
--- a/backup/util/ui/backup_ui_setting.class.php
+++ b/backup/util/ui/backup_ui_setting.class.php
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ class base_setting_ui {
      * @param string $label
      */
     public function set_label($label) {
-        if (empty($label) || $label !== clean_param($label, PARAM_TEXT)) {
+        if ((string)$label === '' || $label !== clean_param($label, PARAM_TEXT)) {
             throw new base_setting_ui_exception('setting_invalid_ui_label');
         }
         $this->label = $label;