diff --git a/icu4c/source/i18n/coleitr.cpp b/icu4c/source/i18n/coleitr.cpp
index 4b113a284d..eef528979a 100644
--- a/icu4c/source/i18n/coleitr.cpp
+++ b/icu4c/source/i18n/coleitr.cpp
@@ -220,14 +220,21 @@ CollationElementIterator::CollationElementIterator(
     return;
  
   int32_t length = sourceText.length();
-  UChar *string = (UChar *)uprv_malloc(sizeof(UChar) * (length + 1));
-  /* 
-  Using this constructor will prevent buffer from being removed when
-  string gets removed
-  */
-  sourceText.extract(0, length, string);
-  // null terminate it
-  string[length] = 0;
+  UChar *string = NULL;
+  
+  if (length > 0) {
+      string = (UChar *)uprv_malloc(sizeof(UChar) * length);
+      /* 
+      Using this constructor will prevent buffer from being removed when
+      string gets removed
+      */
+      sourceText.extract(0, length, string);
+  }
+  else {
+      string = (UChar *)uprv_malloc(sizeof(UChar));
+      // null terminate it
+      *string = 0;
+  }
 
   m_data_ = ucol_openElements(order->ucollator, string, length, &status);
   m_data_->isWritable = TRUE;