diff --git a/src/main/java/com/beust/jcommander/ParameterDescription.java b/src/main/java/com/beust/jcommander/ParameterDescription.java
index 87e66804..fea4ba42 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/beust/jcommander/ParameterDescription.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/beust/jcommander/ParameterDescription.java
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@
 import com.beust.jcommander.validators.NoValidator;
 import com.beust.jcommander.validators.NoValueValidator;
 
+import static com.beust.jcommander.Strings.isStringEmpty;
+
 import java.lang.annotation.Annotation;
 import java.lang.reflect.Field;
 import java.util.*;
@@ -74,12 +76,12 @@ private ResourceBundle findResourceBundle(Object o) {
     ResourceBundle result = null;
 
     Parameters p = o.getClass().getAnnotation(Parameters.class);
-    if (p != null && ! isEmpty(p.resourceBundle())) {
+    if (p != null && ! isStringEmpty(p.resourceBundle())) {
       result = ResourceBundle.getBundle(p.resourceBundle(), Locale.getDefault());
     } else {
       com.beust.jcommander.ResourceBundle a = o.getClass().getAnnotation(
           com.beust.jcommander.ResourceBundle.class);
-      if (a != null && ! isEmpty(a.value())) {
+      if (a != null && ! isStringEmpty(a.value())) {
         result = ResourceBundle.getBundle(a.value(), Locale.getDefault());
       }
     }
@@ -87,13 +89,9 @@ private ResourceBundle findResourceBundle(Object o) {
     return result;
   }
 
-  private boolean isEmpty(String s) {
-    return s == null || "".equals(s);
-  }
-
   private void initDescription(String description, String descriptionKey, String[] names) {
     this.description = description;
-    if (! "".equals(descriptionKey)) {
+    if (! isStringEmpty(descriptionKey)) {
       if (bundle != null) {
         this.description = bundle.getString(descriptionKey);
       }
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/beust/jcommander/Strings.java b/src/main/java/com/beust/jcommander/Strings.java
index a0b22b89..f0e2e80f 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/beust/jcommander/Strings.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/beust/jcommander/Strings.java
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 public class Strings {
 
     public static boolean isStringEmpty(String s) {
-        return s == null || "".equals(s);
+        return s == null || s.isEmpty();
     }
 
     public static boolean startsWith(String s, String with, boolean isCaseSensitive) {
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/beust/jcommander/UnixStyleUsageFormatter.java b/src/main/java/com/beust/jcommander/UnixStyleUsageFormatter.java
index 75921547..946ff367 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/beust/jcommander/UnixStyleUsageFormatter.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/beust/jcommander/UnixStyleUsageFormatter.java
@@ -77,13 +77,13 @@ public void appendAllParametersDetails(StringBuilder out, int indentCount, Strin
 
             if (pd.isDynamicParameter()) {
                 String syntax = "(syntax: " + parameter.names()[0] + "key" + parameter.getAssignment() + "value)";
-                description += (description.length() == 0 ? "" : " ") + syntax;
+                description += (description.isEmpty() ? "" : " ") + syntax;
             }
 
             if (def != null && !pd.isHelp()) {
                 String displayedDef = Strings.isStringEmpty(def.toString()) ? "<empty string>" : def.toString();
                 String defaultText = "(default: " + (parameter.password() ? "********" : displayedDef) + ")";
-                description += (description.length() == 0 ? "" : " ") + defaultText;
+                description += (description.isEmpty() ? "" : " ") + defaultText;
             }
             Class<?> type = pd.getParameterized().getType();
 
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ public void appendAllParametersDetails(StringBuilder out, int indentCount, Strin
                 // of an enum field is empty in ParameterDescription#init(..)
                 if (!description.contains("Options: " + valueList)) {
                     String possibleValues = "(values: " + valueList + ")";
-                    description += (description.length() == 0 ? "" : " ") + possibleValues;
+                    description += (description.isEmpty() ? "" : " ") + possibleValues;
                 }
             }