diff --git a/src/vs/base/common/uri.ts b/src/vs/base/common/uri.ts
index d99a0e403db9d285cc360f401bd3fd6e5199909c..2ccad2d4ad37fe116ef9208e8d513531a33d3a0c 100644
--- a/src/vs/base/common/uri.ts
+++ b/src/vs/base/common/uri.ts
@@ -174,27 +174,27 @@ export default class URI implements UriComponents {
 		if (scheme === void 0) {
 			scheme = this.scheme;
 		} else if (scheme === null) {
-			scheme = '';
+			scheme = _empty;
 		}
 		if (authority === void 0) {
 			authority = this.authority;
 		} else if (authority === null) {
-			authority = '';
+			authority = _empty;
 		}
 		if (path === void 0) {
 			path = this.path;
 		} else if (path === null) {
-			path = '';
+			path = _empty;
 		}
 		if (query === void 0) {
 			query = this.query;
 		} else if (query === null) {
-			query = '';
+			query = _empty;
 		}
 		if (fragment === void 0) {
 			fragment = this.fragment;
 		} else if (fragment === null) {
-			fragment = '';
+			fragment = _empty;
 		}
 
 		if (scheme === this.scheme