diff --git a/src/lib/style-properties.html b/src/lib/style-properties.html
index 64710082ab..712373cd45 100644
--- a/src/lib/style-properties.html
+++ b/src/lib/style-properties.html
@@ -417,8 +417,10 @@
           if (!style) {
             // apply css after the scope style of the element to help with
             // style precedence rules.
-            style = styleUtil.applyCss(cssText, selector, null,
-              element._scopeStyle);
+            if (cssText) {
+              style = styleUtil.applyCss(cssText, selector, null,
+                element._scopeStyle);
+            }
           // shady and cache hit but not in document
           } else if (!style.parentNode) {
             styleUtil.applyStyle(style, null, element._scopeStyle);