diff --git a/terraform/context.go b/terraform/context.go
index 53a12314a..f133cc20a 100644
--- a/terraform/context.go
+++ b/terraform/context.go
@@ -487,6 +487,13 @@ func (c *Context) Input(mode InputMode) error {
 func (c *Context) Apply() (*State, error) {
 	defer c.acquireRun("apply")()
 
+	// Check there are no empty target parameter values
+	for _, target := range c.targets {
+		if target == "" {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("Target parameter must not have empty value")
+		}
+	}
+
 	// Copy our own state
 	c.state = c.state.DeepCopy()
 
@@ -524,6 +531,13 @@ func (c *Context) Apply() (*State, error) {
 func (c *Context) Plan() (*Plan, error) {
 	defer c.acquireRun("plan")()
 
+	// Check there are no empty target parameter values
+	for _, target := range c.targets {
+		if target == "" {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("Target parameter must not have empty value")
+		}
+	}
+
 	p := &Plan{
 		Module:  c.module,
 		Vars:    c.variables,
diff --git a/terraform/context_apply_test.go b/terraform/context_apply_test.go
index 4ad78d165..8da5b720e 100644
--- a/terraform/context_apply_test.go
+++ b/terraform/context_apply_test.go
@@ -7485,6 +7485,27 @@ aws_instance.foo:
 	`)
 }
 
+func TestContext2Apply_targetEmpty(t *testing.T) {
+	m := testModule(t, "apply-targeted")
+	p := testProvider("aws")
+	p.ApplyFn = testApplyFn
+	p.DiffFn = testDiffFn
+	ctx := testContext2(t, &ContextOpts{
+		Module: m,
+		ProviderResolver: ResourceProviderResolverFixed(
+			map[string]ResourceProviderFactory{
+				"aws": testProviderFuncFixed(p),
+			},
+		),
+		Targets: []string{""},
+	})
+
+	_, err := ctx.Apply()
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("should error")
+	}
+}
+
 func TestContext2Apply_targetedCount(t *testing.T) {
 	m := testModule(t, "apply-targeted-count")
 	p := testProvider("aws")
diff --git a/terraform/context_plan_test.go b/terraform/context_plan_test.go
index 8afb4c320..205657461 100644
--- a/terraform/context_plan_test.go
+++ b/terraform/context_plan_test.go
@@ -2733,6 +2733,26 @@ STATE:
 	}
 }
 
+func TestContext2Plan_targetEmpty(t *testing.T) {
+	m := testModule(t, "plan-targeted")
+	p := testProvider("aws")
+	p.DiffFn = testDiffFn
+	ctx := testContext2(t, &ContextOpts{
+		Module: m,
+		ProviderResolver: ResourceProviderResolverFixed(
+			map[string]ResourceProviderFactory{
+				"aws": testProviderFuncFixed(p),
+			},
+		),
+		Targets: []string{""},
+	})
+
+	_, err := ctx.Plan()
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("should error")
+	}
+}
+
 // Test that targeting a module properly plans any inputs that depend
 // on another module.
 func TestContext2Plan_targetedCrossModule(t *testing.T) {