--- a/Class.st	Tue Oct 04 11:33:30 2016 +0200
+++ b/Class.st	Tue Oct 04 11:46:34 2016 +0200
@@ -901,7 +901,11 @@
         ^ #()
     ].
     classvars isString ifTrue:[
-        classvars := classvars asCollectionOfWords collect:[:varName| varName asSymbol] as:Array.
+        classvars isEmpty ifTrue:[
+            classvars := #().
+        ] ifFalse:[
+            classvars := classvars asCollectionOfWords collect:[:varName| varName asSymbol] as:Array.
+        ].
         ^ classvars
     ].