diff --git a/backend/app/core/config.py b/backend/app/core/config.py
index d58e03c87dd..c808a51a2b9 100644
--- a/backend/app/core/config.py
+++ b/backend/app/core/config.py
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@
 
 def parse_cors(v: Any) -> list[str] | str:
     if isinstance(v, str) and not v.startswith("["):
+        if not v.strip():
+            return []
         return [i.strip() for i in v.split(",")]
     elif isinstance(v, list | str):
         return v