diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 3e41ced..4edcd62 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ requires = ["setuptools>=61.0"]
 build-backend = "setuptools.build_meta"
 [project]
 name = "json_repair"
-version = "0.17.0"
+version = "0.17.1"
 license = {file = "LICENSE"}
 authors = [
   { name="Stefano Baccianella", email="4247706+mangiucugna@users.noreply.github.com" },
diff --git a/src/json_repair/json_repair.py b/src/json_repair/json_repair.py
index 9302d76..da77f6d 100644
--- a/src/json_repair/json_repair.py
+++ b/src/json_repair/json_repair.py
@@ -227,6 +227,10 @@ def parse_string(self) -> str:
             self.index += 1
             char = self.get_char_at()
 
+        if not char:
+            # This is an empty string
+            return ""
+
         # Ensuring we use the right delimiter
         if char == "'":
             lstring_delimiter = rstring_delimiter = "'"
diff --git a/tests/test_json_repair.py b/tests/test_json_repair.py
index a160b2a..c8582e0 100644
--- a/tests/test_json_repair.py
+++ b/tests/test_json_repair.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 def test_repair_json():
     # Test with valid JSON strings
     assert repair_json("[]") == "[]"
+    assert repair_json("[{]") == "[]"
     assert repair_json("   {  }   ") == "{}"
     assert repair_json("\"") == '""'
     assert repair_json("\n") == '""'
diff --git a/tests/test_performance.py b/tests/test_performance.py
index 181207f..a8e3267 100644
--- a/tests/test_performance.py
+++ b/tests/test_performance.py
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ def test_false_false_correct(benchmark):
   mean_time = benchmark.stats.get("median")
 
   # Define your time threshold in seconds
-  max_time = 45 / 10 ** 6  # 45 microsecond
+  max_time = 50 / 10 ** 6  # 50 microsecond
 
   # Assert that the average time is below the threshold
   assert mean_time < max_time, f"Benchmark exceeded threshold: {mean_time:.3f}s > {max_time:.3f}s"
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ def test_false_false_incorrect(benchmark):
   mean_time = benchmark.stats.get("median")
 
   # Define your time threshold in seconds
-  max_time = 13 / 10 ** 4  # 1.3 millisecond
+  max_time = 14 / 10 ** 4  # 1.4 millisecond
 
   # Assert that the average time is below the threshold
   assert mean_time < max_time, f"Benchmark exceeded threshold: {mean_time:.3f}s > {max_time:.3f}s"