diff --git a/mysql-test/suite/sys_vars/r/secure_file_priv.result b/mysql-test/suite/sys_vars/r/secure_file_priv.result
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..eeeb9a58c0f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mysql-test/suite/sys_vars/r/secure_file_priv.result
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+#
+# Bug50373 --secure-file-priv=""
+#
+CREATE TABLE t1 (c1 VARCHAR(50));
+INSERT INTO t1 VALUES ("one"),("two"),("three"),("four"),("five");
+SHOW VARIABLES LIKE 'secure_file_priv';
+Variable_name	Value
+secure_file_priv	
+c1
+one
+two
+three
+four
+five
+loaded_file
+one
+two
+three
+four
+five
+
+DROP TABLE t1;
diff --git a/mysql-test/suite/sys_vars/t/secure_file_priv-master.opt b/mysql-test/suite/sys_vars/t/secure_file_priv-master.opt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..b41d9b04b96
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mysql-test/suite/sys_vars/t/secure_file_priv-master.opt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+--secure_file_priv=''
diff --git a/mysql-test/suite/sys_vars/t/secure_file_priv.test b/mysql-test/suite/sys_vars/t/secure_file_priv.test
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..7a534e7d6e4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mysql-test/suite/sys_vars/t/secure_file_priv.test
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+--echo #
+--echo # Bug50373 --secure-file-priv=""
+--echo #
+CREATE TABLE t1 (c1 VARCHAR(50));
+INSERT INTO t1 VALUES ("one"),("two"),("three"),("four"),("five");
+SHOW VARIABLES LIKE 'secure_file_priv';
+--disable_query_log
+# Atempt to create a file where we normally aren't allowed to create one.
+# Doing this in a portable manner is difficult but we should be able to
+# count on the depth of the directory hierarchy used. Three steps up from
+# the datadir is the 'mysql_test' directory.
+--let $PROTECTED_FILE=`SELECT concat(@@datadir,'/../../../bug50373.txt')`;
+--eval SELECT * FROM t1 INTO OUTFILE '$PROTECTED_FILE';
+DELETE FROM t1;
+--eval LOAD DATA INFILE '$PROTECTED_FILE' INTO TABLE t1;
+SELECT * FROM t1;
+--eval SELECT load_file('$PROTECTED_FILE') AS loaded_file;
+--enable_query_log
+remove_file $PROTECTED_FILE;
+DROP TABLE t1;
+
diff --git a/sql/mysqld.cc b/sql/mysqld.cc
index a483b9e2381..9b66bdbcdf5 100644
--- a/sql/mysqld.cc
+++ b/sql/mysqld.cc
@@ -8818,10 +8818,25 @@ static int fix_paths(void)
    */
   if (opt_secure_file_priv)
   {
-    convert_dirname(buff, opt_secure_file_priv, NullS);
-    my_free(opt_secure_file_priv, MYF(0));
-    opt_secure_file_priv= my_strdup(buff, MYF(MY_FAE));
+    if (*opt_secure_file_priv == 0)
+    {
+      opt_secure_file_priv= 0;
+    }
+    else
+    {
+      convert_dirname(buff, opt_secure_file_priv, NullS);
+      char *secure_file_real_path= (char *)my_malloc(FN_REFLEN, MYF(MY_FAE));
+      if (secure_file_real_path == 0 ||
+          my_realpath(secure_file_real_path, opt_secure_file_priv, 0))
+      {
+        sql_print_warning("Failed to normalize the argument for --secure-file-priv.");
+        return 1;
+      }
+      my_free(opt_secure_file_priv, MYF(0));
+      opt_secure_file_priv= secure_file_real_path;
+    }
   }
+  
   return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/sql/sql_load.cc b/sql/sql_load.cc
index ee3b442c83a..869a52325ea 100644
--- a/sql/sql_load.cc
+++ b/sql/sql_load.cc
@@ -350,9 +350,7 @@ int mysql_load(THD *thd,sql_exchange *ex,TABLE_LIST *table_list,
       }
       else if (opt_secure_file_priv)
       {
-        char secure_file_real_path[FN_REFLEN];
-        (void) my_realpath(secure_file_real_path, opt_secure_file_priv, 0);
-        if (strncmp(secure_file_real_path, name, strlen(secure_file_real_path)))
+        if (strncmp(opt_secure_file_priv, name, strlen(opt_secure_file_priv)))
         {
           /* Read only allowed from within dir specified by secure_file_priv */
           my_error(ER_OPTION_PREVENTS_STATEMENT, MYF(0), "--secure-file-priv");