diff --git a/lib/thread.cc b/lib/thread.cc
index 8922403e..79c3e9bb 100644
--- a/lib/thread.cc
+++ b/lib/thread.cc
@@ -277,7 +277,8 @@ _thread_add_message (notmuch_thread_t *thread,
 	address = internet_address_list_get_address (list, 0);
 	if (address) {
 	    author = internet_address_get_name (address);
-	    if (author == NULL) {
+	    /* We treat quoted empty names as if they were empty. */
+	    if (author == NULL || author[0] == '\0') {
 		InternetAddressMailbox *mailbox;
 		mailbox = INTERNET_ADDRESS_MAILBOX (address);
 		author = internet_address_mailbox_get_addr (mailbox);
diff --git a/test/T205-author-naming.sh b/test/T205-author-naming.sh
index 18819ddb..cb678ae8 100755
--- a/test/T205-author-naming.sh
+++ b/test/T205-author-naming.sh
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ test_description="naming of authors with unusual addresses"
 . ./test-lib.sh
 
 test_begin_subtest "Add author with empty quoted real name"
-test_subtest_known_broken
 add_message '[subject]="author-naming: Initial thread subject"' \
 	    '[date]="Fri, 05 Jan 2001 15:43:56 -0000"' \
 	    '[from]="\"\" <address@example.com>"'