diff --git a/wp-includes/query.php b/wp-includes/query.php
index 3703428d95..44e9a5c242 100644
--- a/wp-includes/query.php
+++ b/wp-includes/query.php
@@ -2775,7 +2775,7 @@ class WP_Query {
 		}
 
 		// If a search pattern is specified, load the posts that match.
-		if ( ! empty( $q['s'] ) ) {
+		if ( strlen( $q['s'] ) ) {
 			$search = $this->parse_search( $q );
 		}
 
diff --git a/wp-includes/version.php b/wp-includes/version.php
index 9e2f12cb92..f1921ec6e9 100644
--- a/wp-includes/version.php
+++ b/wp-includes/version.php
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
  *
  * @global string $wp_version
  */
-$wp_version = '4.5-alpha-36277';
+$wp_version = '4.5-alpha-36278';
 
 /**
  * Holds the WordPress DB revision, increments when changes are made to the WordPress DB schema.