diff --git a/dlls/kernel32/profile.c b/dlls/kernel32/profile.c
index 9b6b1a1..e52cd66 100644
--- a/dlls/kernel32/profile.c
+++ b/dlls/kernel32/profile.c
@@ -1114,9 +1114,10 @@ static int PROFILE_GetPrivateProfileString( LPCWSTR section, LPCWSTR entry,
     } else if (buffer && def_val) {
        lstrcpynW( buffer, def_val, len );
        ret = strlenW( buffer );
-    }
-    else
+    } else {
+       buffer[0] = 0; /* buffer must be a null terminated empty string */
        ret = 0;
+    }
 
     RtlLeaveCriticalSection( &PROFILE_CritSect );
 
diff --git a/dlls/kernel32/tests/profile.c b/dlls/kernel32/tests/profile.c
index 4c0964c..2f0ff13 100644
--- a/dlls/kernel32/tests/profile.c
+++ b/dlls/kernel32/tests/profile.c
@@ -347,7 +347,6 @@ static void test_profile_existing(void)
         else
         {
             ok( !ret, "%d: GetPrivateProfileString succeeded\n", i );
-            todo_wine
             ok( buffer[ret] == 0, "Get GetPrivateProfileString should terminate buffer with null\n" );
         }
         CloseHandle(h);