diff --git a/changedetectionio/fetch_site_status.py b/changedetectionio/fetch_site_status.py
index 61b9a40a..75118ef5 100644
--- a/changedetectionio/fetch_site_status.py
+++ b/changedetectionio/fetch_site_status.py
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ class perform_site_check():
         # Tweak the base config with the per-watch ones
         request_headers = self.datastore.data['settings']['headers'].copy()
 
-        if self.datastore.data['watching'][uuid].get('external_header_server') is not None:
+        if self.datastore.data['watching'][uuid].get('external_header_server') is not None or self.datastore.data['watching'][uuid].get('external_header_server') != "":
             try:
                 resp = requests.get(self.datastore.data['watching'][uuid].get('external_header_server'))
                 if resp.status_code != 200: