diff --git a/_pytest/mark.py b/_pytest/mark.py
index c3352b387..e5d956252 100644
--- a/_pytest/mark.py
+++ b/_pytest/mark.py
@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ def pytest_configure(config):
     if config.option.strict:
         MARK_GEN._config = config
 
-    empty_parameterset = config.getini("empty_parameterset")
+    empty_parameterset = config.getini("empty_parameter_set_mark")
 
     if empty_parameterset not in ('skip', 'xfail', None, ''):
         from pytest import UsageError
diff --git a/testing/test_mark.py b/testing/test_mark.py
index c85a30b41..c3a80083c 100644
--- a/testing/test_mark.py
+++ b/testing/test_mark.py
@@ -893,16 +893,16 @@ class TestMarkDecorator(object):
         assert (lhs == rhs) == expected
 
 
-@pytest.mark.parametrize('mark', [None, 'skip', 'xfail'])
+@pytest.mark.parametrize('mark', [None, '', 'skip', 'xfail'])
 def test_parameterset_for_parametrize_marks(testdir, mark):
     if mark is not None:
-        testdir.makeini("[pytest]\nempty_parameterset=" + mark)
+        testdir.makeini("[pytest]\nempty_parameter_set_mark=" + mark)
 
     config = testdir.parseconfig()
     from _pytest.mark import pytest_configure, get_empty_parameterset_mark
     pytest_configure(config)
     result_mark = get_empty_parameterset_mark(config, ['a'], all)
-    if mark is None:
+    if mark in (None, ''):
         # normalize to the requested name
         mark = 'skip'
     assert result_mark.name == mark