diff --git a/reactor-netty-http/src/main/java/reactor/netty/http/server/ConnectionInfo.java b/reactor-netty-http/src/main/java/reactor/netty/http/server/ConnectionInfo.java
index 66b6db10d9..ca716b833c 100644
--- a/reactor-netty-http/src/main/java/reactor/netty/http/server/ConnectionInfo.java
+++ b/reactor-netty-http/src/main/java/reactor/netty/http/server/ConnectionInfo.java
@@ -65,10 +65,12 @@ static ConnectionInfo from(Channel channel, HttpRequest request, boolean secured
 		String header = request.headers().get(HttpHeaderNames.HOST);
 		if (header != null) {
 			hostName = header;
-			int portIndex = header.charAt(0) == '[' ? header.indexOf(':', header.indexOf(']')) : header.indexOf(':');
-			if (portIndex != -1) {
-				hostName = header.substring(0, portIndex);
-				hostPort = Integer.parseInt(header.substring(portIndex + 1));
+			if (!header.isEmpty()) {
+				int portIndex = header.charAt(0) == '[' ? header.indexOf(':', header.indexOf(']')) : header.indexOf(':');
+				if (portIndex != -1) {
+					hostName = header.substring(0, portIndex);
+					hostPort = Integer.parseInt(header.substring(portIndex + 1));
+				}
 			}
 		}
 
diff --git a/reactor-netty-http/src/test/java/reactor/netty/http/server/ConnectionInfoTests.java b/reactor-netty-http/src/test/java/reactor/netty/http/server/ConnectionInfoTests.java
index ee1da4abc9..6669d7fa07 100644
--- a/reactor-netty-http/src/test/java/reactor/netty/http/server/ConnectionInfoTests.java
+++ b/reactor-netty-http/src/test/java/reactor/netty/http/server/ConnectionInfoTests.java
@@ -90,6 +90,20 @@ void noHeaders() {
 				});
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	void noHeadersEmptyHostHeader() {
+		testClientRequest(
+				clientRequestHeaders -> clientRequestHeaders.set(HttpHeaderNames.HOST, ""),
+				serverRequest -> {
+					Assertions.assertThat(serverRequest.hostAddress().getHostString())
+					          .containsPattern("^0:0:0:0:0:0:0:1(%\\w*)?|127.0.0.1$");
+					Assertions.assertThat(serverRequest.hostAddress().getPort()).isEqualTo(this.disposableServer.port());
+					Assertions.assertThat(serverRequest.hostName()).isEmpty();
+					int port = serverRequest.scheme().equals("https") ? DEFAULT_HTTPS_PORT : DEFAULT_HTTP_PORT;
+					Assertions.assertThat(serverRequest.hostPort()).isEqualTo(port);
+				});
+	}
+
 	@Test
 	void hostHeaderNoForwardedHeaders() {
 		testClientRequest(
@@ -130,6 +144,20 @@ void forwardedHost() {
 				});
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	void forwardedHostEmptyHostHeader() {
+		testClientRequest(
+				clientRequestHeaders -> clientRequestHeaders.add("Forwarded", "host=192.168.0.1")
+						.set(HttpHeaderNames.HOST, ""),
+				serverRequest -> {
+					Assertions.assertThat(serverRequest.hostAddress().getHostString()).isEqualTo("192.168.0.1");
+					int port = serverRequest.scheme().equals("https") ? DEFAULT_HTTPS_PORT : DEFAULT_HTTP_PORT;
+					Assertions.assertThat(serverRequest.hostAddress().getPort()).isEqualTo(port);
+					Assertions.assertThat(serverRequest.hostName()).isEqualTo("192.168.0.1");
+					Assertions.assertThat(serverRequest.hostPort()).isEqualTo(port);
+				});
+	}
+
 	@Test
 	void forwardedHostIpV6() {
 		testClientRequest(
@@ -168,6 +196,20 @@ void xForwardedHost() {
 				});
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	void xForwardedHostEmptyHostHeader() {
+		testClientRequest(
+				clientRequestHeaders -> clientRequestHeaders.add("X-Forwarded-Host",
+						"[1abc:2abc:3abc::5ABC:6abc], 192.168.0.1").set(HttpHeaderNames.HOST, ""),
+				serverRequest -> {
+					Assertions.assertThat(serverRequest.hostAddress().getHostString()).isEqualTo("1abc:2abc:3abc:0:0:0:5abc:6abc");
+					int port = serverRequest.scheme().equals("https") ? DEFAULT_HTTPS_PORT : DEFAULT_HTTP_PORT;
+					Assertions.assertThat(serverRequest.hostAddress().getPort()).isEqualTo(port);
+					Assertions.assertThat(serverRequest.hostName()).isEqualTo("1abc:2abc:3abc:0:0:0:5abc:6abc");
+					Assertions.assertThat(serverRequest.hostPort()).isEqualTo(port);
+				});
+	}
+
 	@Test
 	void xForwardedHostPortIncluded() {
 		testClientRequest(