diff --git a/lib/ace/document.js b/lib/ace/document.js
index 4bc170c2..0b621b31 100644
--- a/lib/ace/document.js
+++ b/lib/ace/document.js
@@ -46,6 +46,11 @@ var Document = function(text) {
 
     if (Array.isArray(text)) {
         this.insertLines(0, text);
+    }
+    // There has to be one line at least in the document. If you pass an empty
+    // string to the insert function, nothing will happen. Workaround.
+    else if (text.length == 0) {
+        this.$lines = [""];
     } else {
         this.insert({row: 0, column:0}, text);
     }
@@ -57,7 +62,7 @@ var Document = function(text) {
 
     this.setValue = function(text) {
         var len = this.getLength();
-        this.remove(new Range(0, 0, len, this.getLine(len-1).length));        
+        this.remove(new Range(0, 0, len, this.getLine(len-1).length));
         this.insert({row: 0, column:0}, text);
     };
   	
@@ -262,16 +267,16 @@ var Document = function(text) {
         var firstRow = range.start.row;
         var lastRow = range.end.row;
 
-        if (range.isMultiLine()) {            
+        if (range.isMultiLine()) {
             var firstFullRow = range.start.column == 0 ? firstRow : firstRow + 1;
             var lastFullRow = lastRow - 1;
-            
+
             if (range.end.column > 0)
                 this.removeInLine(lastRow, 0, range.end.column);
-                
+
             if (lastFullRow >= firstFullRow)
                 this.removeLines(firstFullRow, lastFullRow);
-                
+
             if (firstFullRow != firstRow) {
                 this.removeInLine(firstRow, range.start.column, this.$lines[firstRow].length);
                 this.removeNewLine(range.start.row);
diff --git a/lib/ace/test/document_test.js b/lib/ace/test/document_test.js
index cdc78732..7b9c625c 100644
--- a/lib/ace/test/document_test.js
+++ b/lib/ace/test/document_test.js
@@ -279,19 +279,24 @@ var Test = {
         doc.replace(new Range(0, 0, 2, 1), ["4", "5", "6"].join("\n"));
         assert.equal(["4", "5", "6"].join("\n"), doc.getValue());
     },
-    
+
     "test: set value": function() {
         var doc = new Document("1");
         assert.equal("1", doc.getValue());
-        
+
         doc.setValue(doc.getValue());
         assert.equal("1", doc.getValue());
-        
+
         var doc = new Document("1\n2");
         assert.equal("1\n2", doc.getValue());
-        
+
         doc.setValue(doc.getValue());
         assert.equal("1\n2", doc.getValue());
+    },
+
+    "test: empty document has to contain one line": function() {
+        var doc = new Document("");
+        assert.equal(doc.$lines.length, 1);
     }
 };