diff --git a/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs b/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs
index 593599b26..9db32d115 100644
--- a/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs
+++ b/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn dc_open(
     let ffi_context = &*context;
     let rust_cb = move |_ctx: &Context, evt: Event| ffi_context.translate_cb(evt);
 
-    let ctx = if blobdir.is_null() {
+    let ctx = if blobdir.is_null() || *blobdir == 0 {
         Context::new(
             Box::new(rust_cb),
             ffi_context.os_name.clone(),
diff --git a/src/context.rs b/src/context.rs
index 5217fc8e0..c118b70c4 100644
--- a/src/context.rs
+++ b/src/context.rs
@@ -475,6 +475,15 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(dbfile2.is_file());
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn test_with_empty_blobdir() {
+        let tmp = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+        let dbfile = tmp.path().join("db.sqlite");
+        let blobdir = PathBuf::new();
+        let res = Context::with_blobdir(Box::new(|_, _| 0), "FakeOS".into(), dbfile, blobdir);
+        assert!(res.is_err());
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn test_with_blobdir_not_exists() {
         let tmp = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();