diff --git a/pkg/epoch/epoch.go b/pkg/epoch/epoch.go
index 0ba8ed3b1..124e8edb5 100644
--- a/pkg/epoch/epoch.go
+++ b/pkg/epoch/epoch.go
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ const SourceDateEpochEnv = "SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH"
 // If the env var is not set, SourceDateEpoch returns nil without an error.
 func SourceDateEpoch() (*time.Time, error) {
 	v, ok := os.LookupEnv(SourceDateEpochEnv)
-	if !ok {
+	if !ok || v == "" {
 		return nil, nil // not an error
 	}
 	i64, err := strconv.ParseInt(v, 10, 64)
diff --git a/pkg/epoch/epoch_test.go b/pkg/epoch/epoch_test.go
index 101d332df..f25c77eb2 100644
--- a/pkg/epoch/epoch_test.go
+++ b/pkg/epoch/epoch_test.go
@@ -36,7 +36,9 @@ func rightAfter(t1, t2 time.Time) bool {
 func TestSourceDateEpoch(t *testing.T) {
 	if s, ok := os.LookupEnv(SourceDateEpochEnv); ok {
 		t.Logf("%s is already set to %q, unsetting", SourceDateEpochEnv, s)
+		// see https://github.com/golang/go/issues/52817#issuecomment-1131339120
 		t.Setenv(SourceDateEpochEnv, "")
+		os.Unsetenv(SourceDateEpochEnv)
 	}
 
 	t.Run("WithoutSourceDateEpoch", func(t *testing.T) {
@@ -49,6 +51,18 @@ func TestSourceDateEpoch(t *testing.T) {
 		require.True(t, rightAfter(now, v))
 	})
 
+	t.Run("WithEmptySourceDateEpoch", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Setenv(SourceDateEpochEnv, "")
+
+		vp, err := SourceDateEpoch()
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		require.Nil(t, vp)
+
+		now := time.Now()
+		v := SourceDateEpochOrNow()
+		require.True(t, rightAfter(now, v))
+	})
+
 	t.Run("WithSourceDateEpoch", func(t *testing.T) {
 		sourceDateEpoch, err := time.Parse(time.RFC3339, "2022-01-23T12:34:56Z")
 		require.NoError(t, err)