diff --git a/packages/core/src/metadata/resource_loading.ts b/packages/core/src/metadata/resource_loading.ts
index ce4d7be738..c9ae16a81b 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/metadata/resource_loading.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/metadata/resource_loading.ts
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ export function isComponentDefPendingResolution(type: Type<any>): boolean {
 
 export function componentNeedsResolution(component: Component): boolean {
   return !!(
-      (component.templateUrl && !component.template) ||
+      (component.templateUrl && !component.hasOwnProperty('template')) ||
       component.styleUrls && component.styleUrls.length);
 }
 export function clearResolutionOfComponentResourcesQueue(): Map<Type<any>, Component> {
diff --git a/packages/core/test/test_bed_spec.ts b/packages/core/test/test_bed_spec.ts
index fa546d6ac1..56dfc65ea0 100644
--- a/packages/core/test/test_bed_spec.ts
+++ b/packages/core/test/test_bed_spec.ts
@@ -423,6 +423,14 @@ describe('TestBed', () => {
           const fixture = TestBed.createComponent(SomeComponent);
           expect(fixture.nativeElement.innerHTML).toBe('Template override');
         });
+
+        it('should have an ability to override template with empty string', () => {
+          const SomeComponent = getAOTCompiledComponent();
+          TestBed.configureTestingModule({declarations: [SomeComponent]});
+          TestBed.overrideTemplateUsingTestingModule(SomeComponent, '');
+          const fixture = TestBed.createComponent(SomeComponent);
+          expect(fixture.nativeElement.innerHTML).toBe('');
+        });
       });
 
   onlyInIvy('patched ng defs should be removed after resetting TestingModule')