diff --git a/arch/powerpc/platforms/powernv/setup.c b/arch/powerpc/platforms/powernv/setup.c
index 11fdae81b5dd..a8fe630cf7cc 100644
--- a/arch/powerpc/platforms/powernv/setup.c
+++ b/arch/powerpc/platforms/powernv/setup.c
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ static void  __noreturn pnv_restart(char *cmd)
 	pnv_prepare_going_down();
 
 	do {
-		if (!cmd)
+		if (!cmd || !strlen(cmd))
 			rc = opal_cec_reboot();
 		else if (strcmp(cmd, "full") == 0)
 			rc = opal_cec_reboot2(OPAL_REBOOT_FULL_IPL, NULL);