diff --git a/simgear/scene/material/TextureBuilder.cxx b/simgear/scene/material/TextureBuilder.cxx
index 0c141c47..ad3ad569 100644
--- a/simgear/scene/material/TextureBuilder.cxx
+++ b/simgear/scene/material/TextureBuilder.cxx
@@ -216,11 +216,14 @@ TexTuple makeTexTuple(Effect* effect, const SGPropertyNode* props,
     if (pImage)
     {
         imageName = pImage->getStringValue();
-        absFileName = SGModelLib::findDataFile(imageName, options);
-        if (absFileName.empty())
+        if (!imageName.empty())
         {
-            SG_LOG(SG_INPUT, SG_ALERT, "Texture file not found: '"
-                   << imageName << "'");
+            absFileName = SGModelLib::findDataFile(imageName, options);
+            if (absFileName.empty())
+            {
+                SG_LOG(SG_INPUT, SG_ALERT, "Texture file not found: '"
+                       << imageName << "'");
+            }
         }
     }