diff --git a/samtranslator/model/sam_resources.py b/samtranslator/model/sam_resources.py
index d098c23d3..ce4ffa3e9 100644
--- a/samtranslator/model/sam_resources.py
+++ b/samtranslator/model/sam_resources.py
@@ -878,7 +878,7 @@ def _validate_deployment_preference_and_add_update_policy(
         )
 
         if deployment_preference_collection.get(self.logical_id).enabled:
-            if self.AutoPublishAlias is None:
+            if not self.AutoPublishAlias:
                 raise InvalidResourceException(
                     self.logical_id, "'DeploymentPreference' requires AutoPublishAlias property to be specified."
                 )
diff --git a/tests/translator/input/error_auto_publish_alias_empty_string.yaml b/tests/translator/input/error_auto_publish_alias_empty_string.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a67ea4084
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/translator/input/error_auto_publish_alias_empty_string.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+Resources:
+  MinimalFunction:
+    Type: 'AWS::Serverless::Function'
+    Properties:
+      CodeUri: s3://sam-demo-bucket/hello.zip
+      Handler: hello.handler
+      Runtime: python2.7
+      AutoPublishAlias: ''
+      DeploymentPreference:
+        Type: AllAtOnce
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/translator/output/error_auto_publish_alias_empty_string.json b/tests/translator/output/error_auto_publish_alias_empty_string.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..46183aa60
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/translator/output/error_auto_publish_alias_empty_string.json
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+{
+    "errorMessage": "Invalid Serverless Application Specification document. Number of errors found: 1. Resource with id [MinimalFunction] is invalid. 'DeploymentPreference' requires AutoPublishAlias property to be specified."
+}
\ No newline at end of file