diff --git a/doc/changes.adoc b/doc/changes.adoc
index 3518c4a..b850b83 100644
--- a/doc/changes.adoc
+++ b/doc/changes.adoc
@@ -10,6 +10,11 @@ http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt
 :toc-title:
 :idprefix:
 
+## Changes in 1.79.0
+
+* `source_location().file_name()` and `source_location().function_name()`
+  now return `""` instead of `"(unknown)"`.
+
 ## Changes in 1.78.0
 
 * Added `source_location::to_string`.
diff --git a/doc/source_location.adoc b/doc/source_location.adoc
index d7c11fa..3d00e2c 100644
--- a/doc/source_location.adoc
+++ b/doc/source_location.adoc
@@ -57,8 +57,7 @@ constexpr source_location() noexcept;
 ```
 
 Effects: :: Constructs a `source_location` object for which `file_name()`
-and `function_name()` return `"(unknown)"`, and `line()` and `column()`
-return `0`.
+and `function_name()` return `""`, and `line()` and `column()` return `0`.
 
 ```
 constexpr source_location(char const* file, uint_least32_t line,
diff --git a/include/boost/assert/source_location.hpp b/include/boost/assert/source_location.hpp
index 162d788..0977f67 100644
--- a/include/boost/assert/source_location.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/assert/source_location.hpp
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ private:
 
 public:
 
-    BOOST_CONSTEXPR source_location() BOOST_NOEXCEPT: file_( "(unknown)" ), function_( "(unknown)" ), line_( 0 ), column_( 0 )
+    BOOST_CONSTEXPR source_location() BOOST_NOEXCEPT: file_( "" ), function_( "" ), line_( 0 ), column_( 0 )
     {
     }
 
diff --git a/test/source_location_test.cpp b/test/source_location_test.cpp
index f94e230..254c4cb 100644
--- a/test/source_location_test.cpp
+++ b/test/source_location_test.cpp
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@ int main()
     {
         boost::source_location loc;
 
-        BOOST_TEST_CSTR_EQ( loc.file_name(), "(unknown)" );
-        BOOST_TEST_CSTR_EQ( loc.function_name(), "(unknown)" );
+        BOOST_TEST_CSTR_EQ( loc.file_name(), "" );
+        BOOST_TEST_CSTR_EQ( loc.function_name(), "" );
         BOOST_TEST_EQ( loc.line(), 0 );
         BOOST_TEST_EQ( loc.column(), 0 );
     }
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ int main()
     {
         boost::source_location loc = BOOST_CURRENT_LOCATION;
 
-
         BOOST_TEST_CSTR_EQ( loc.file_name(), __FILE__ );
         BOOST_TEST_CSTR_EQ( loc.function_name(), BOOST_CURRENT_FUNCTION );
         BOOST_TEST_EQ( loc.line(), 20 );
diff --git a/test/source_location_test2.cpp b/test/source_location_test2.cpp
index e21e3f6..071b732 100644
--- a/test/source_location_test2.cpp
+++ b/test/source_location_test2.cpp
@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@ int main()
     {
         boost::source_location loc;
 
-        BOOST_TEST_CSTR_EQ( loc.file_name(), "(unknown)" );
-        BOOST_TEST_CSTR_EQ( loc.function_name(), "(unknown)" );
+        BOOST_TEST_CSTR_EQ( loc.file_name(), "" );
+        BOOST_TEST_CSTR_EQ( loc.function_name(), "" );
         BOOST_TEST_EQ( loc.line(), 0 );
         BOOST_TEST_EQ( loc.column(), 0 );
     }
@@ -21,9 +21,8 @@ int main()
     {
         boost::source_location loc = BOOST_CURRENT_LOCATION;
 
-
-        BOOST_TEST_CSTR_EQ( loc.file_name(), "(unknown)" );
-        BOOST_TEST_CSTR_EQ( loc.function_name(), "(unknown)" );
+        BOOST_TEST_CSTR_EQ( loc.file_name(), "" );
+        BOOST_TEST_CSTR_EQ( loc.function_name(), "" );
         BOOST_TEST_EQ( loc.line(), 0 );
         BOOST_TEST_EQ( loc.column(), 0 );
     }