Fix: Silently ignore empty JSON string object for MQTT IR signal payload (#177664)

homeassistant/components/mqtt/infrared.py

@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ class MqttInfraredReceiverEntity(MqttEntity, InfraredReceiverEntity):
             _LOGGER.debug("Ignoring retained infrared signal on topic %s", msg.topic)
             return
         payload = self._value_template(msg.payload)
-        if not payload or payload in (PAYLOAD_NONE, "null"):
+        if not payload or payload in (PAYLOAD_NONE, "null", '""'):
             _LOGGER.debug(
                 "Ignoring payload for %s on topic %s, with template %s",
                 self.entity_id,

tests/components/mqtt/test_infrared.py

@@ -183,6 +183,12 @@ async def test_receiving_command_success_using_value_template(
             logging.DEBUG,
             False,
         ),
+        (
+            '""',
+            "Ignoring payload for infrared.test on topic test-topic, with template None",
+            logging.DEBUG,
+            False,
+        ),
         (
             "None",
             "Ignoring payload for infrared.test on topic test-topic, with template None",