diff --git a/AUTHORS b/AUTHORS
index fe6e68f177b..aba40c22de3 100644
--- a/AUTHORS
+++ b/AUTHORS
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ answer newbie questions, and generally made Django that much better:
     mark@junklight.com
     mattycakes@gmail.com
     Jason McBrayer <http://www.carcosa.net/jason/>
+    michael.mcewan@gmail.com
     mmarshall
     Eric Moritz <http://eric.themoritzfamily.com/>
     Robin Munn <http://www.geekforgod.com/>
diff --git a/django/core/handlers/wsgi.py b/django/core/handlers/wsgi.py
index 2d34c64821f..4d5931e6306 100644
--- a/django/core/handlers/wsgi.py
+++ b/django/core/handlers/wsgi.py
@@ -81,7 +81,8 @@ class WSGIRequest(httpwrappers.HttpRequest):
 
     def _get_get(self):
         if not hasattr(self, '_get'):
-            self._get = httpwrappers.QueryDict(self.environ['QUERY_STRING'])
+            # The WSGI spec says 'QUERY_STRING' may be absent.
+            self._get = httpwrappers.QueryDict(self.environ.get('QUERY_STRING', ''))
         return self._get
 
     def _set_get(self, get):