diff --git a/crates/bevy_asset/src/path.rs b/crates/bevy_asset/src/path.rs
index de9dfa5ca583a..c594f0690b75a 100644
--- a/crates/bevy_asset/src/path.rs
+++ b/crates/bevy_asset/src/path.rs
@@ -94,6 +94,9 @@ pub enum ParseAssetPathError {
     /// Error that occurs when a path string has an [`AssetPath::label`] delimiter `#` with no characters succeeding it. E.g. `file.test#`
     #[error("Asset label must be at least one character. Either specify the label after the '#' or remove the '#'")]
     MissingLabel,
+    // Error that occurs when a path string is empty
+    #[error("asset path cannot be empty")]
+    EmptyPath,
 }
 
 impl<'a> AssetPath<'a> {
@@ -123,6 +126,7 @@ impl<'a> AssetPath<'a> {
     ///
     /// This will return a [`ParseAssetPathError`] if `asset_path` is in an invalid format.
     pub fn try_parse(asset_path: &'a str) -> Result<AssetPath<'a>, ParseAssetPathError> {
+
         let (source, path, label) = Self::parse_internal(asset_path)?;
         Ok(Self {
             source: match source {
@@ -189,6 +193,10 @@ impl<'a> AssetPath<'a> {
                 }
             }
         }
+        // If string is empty
+        if asset_path.trim().is_empty() {
+            return Err(ParseAssetPathError::EmptyPath);
+        }
         // If we found an `AssetPath::label`
         if let Some(range) = label_range.clone() {
             // If the `AssetPath::label` contained a `://` substring, it is invalid.
diff --git a/tests/asset/empty_asset.rs b/tests/asset/empty_asset.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..124fe553991db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/asset/empty_asset.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+use bevy::prelude::*;
+use bevy::asset::LoadState;
+
+#[test]
+fn test_asset_load_valid_file() {
+    let mut app = App::new();
+    app.add_plugins(MinimalPlugins)
+        .add_plugins(AssetPlugin::default())
+        .init_asset::<Image>();
+
+    let asset_server = app.world().resource::<AssetServer>();
+    let handle: Handle<Image> = asset_server.load("branding/bevy_bird_dark.png");
+
+    // Confirm the asset exists in Bevy's registry
+    let state = asset_server.get_load_state(handle.id());
+    assert!(
+        matches!(state, Some(LoadState::NotLoaded) | Some(LoadState::Loading) | Some(LoadState::Loaded)),
+        "Valid file should be in a valid load state, got {:?}",
+        state
+    );
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_asset_load_invalid_file() {
+    let mut app = App::new();
+    app.add_plugins(MinimalPlugins)
+        .add_plugins(AssetPlugin::default())
+        .init_asset::<Image>();
+
+    let asset_server = app.world().resource::<AssetServer>();
+    
+    // Bevy doesn't panic on invalid paths - it creates a handle and marks it as failed
+    let handle: Handle<Image> = asset_server.load("nonexistent/fake_file.png");
+
+    // The handle should be created successfully (no panic)
+    let state = asset_server.get_load_state(handle.id());
+    
+    // We just verify that a handle was created - Bevy will handle the error internally
+    assert!(
+        state.is_some(),
+        "Invalid file should still create a handle, got {:?}",
+        state
+    );
+}
+
+#[test]
+#[should_panic]
+fn test_asset_load_empty_path_panics() {
+    let mut app = App::new();
+    app.add_plugins(MinimalPlugins)
+        .add_plugins(AssetPlugin::default())
+        .init_asset::<Image>();
+
+    let asset_server = app.world().resource::<AssetServer>();
+
+    // Test that load panics with empty string
+    let _handle: Handle<Image> = asset_server.load("");
+}
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