diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/library/models.py b/src/calibre/gui2/library/models.py
index 6aa176292a..d82558c682 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/library/models.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/library/models.py
@@ -117,7 +117,8 @@ class ColumnIcon(object):  # {{{
                                     template_cache=template_cache)
                 if not rule_icons:
                     continue
-                icon_list = [ic.strip() for ic in rule_icons.split(':')]
+                icon_list = [ic.strip() for ic in rule_icons.split(':') if ic.strip()]
+                print(icon_list)
                 icons.extend(icon_list)
                 if icon_list and not kind.endswith('_composed'):
                     break