diff --git a/IPython/nbconvert/exporters/tests/test_rst.py b/IPython/nbconvert/exporters/tests/test_rst.py
index 99e3e76..c9840a9 100644
--- a/IPython/nbconvert/exporters/tests/test_rst.py
+++ b/IPython/nbconvert/exporters/tests/test_rst.py
@@ -12,6 +12,10 @@
 # Imports
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+import io
+
+from IPython.nbformat import current
+
 from .base import ExportersTestsBase
 from ..rst import RSTExporter
 from IPython.testing.decorators import onlyif_cmds_exist
@@ -40,3 +44,22 @@ class TestRSTExporter(ExportersTestsBase):
         """
         (output, resources) = RSTExporter().from_filename(self._get_notebook())
         assert len(output) > 0
+        
+    @onlyif_cmds_exist('pandoc')
+    def test_empty_code_cell(self):
+        """No empty code cells in rst"""
+        nbname = self._get_notebook()
+        with io.open(nbname, encoding='utf8') as f:
+            nb = current.read(f, 'json')
+        
+        exporter = self.exporter_class()
+        
+        (output, resources) = exporter.from_notebook_node(nb)
+        # add an empty code cell
+        nb.worksheets[0].cells.append(
+            current.new_code_cell(input="")
+        )
+        (output2, resources) = exporter.from_notebook_node(nb)
+        # adding an empty code cell shouldn't change output
+        self.assertEqual(output.strip(), output2.strip())
+