diff --git a/src/Platform/Microsoft.Testing.Platform/CommandLine/Parser.cs b/src/Platform/Microsoft.Testing.Platform/CommandLine/Parser.cs
index ac84f54e79..58a06e7c63 100644
--- a/src/Platform/Microsoft.Testing.Platform/CommandLine/Parser.cs
+++ b/src/Platform/Microsoft.Testing.Platform/CommandLine/Parser.cs
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ private static CommandLineParseResult Parse(List<string> args, IEnvironment envi
 
             // If it's the first argument and it doesn't start with - then it's the tool name
             // TODO: This won't work correctly if the first argument provided is a response file that contains the tool name.
-            if (isFirstRealArgument && currentArg[0] != '-')
+            if (isFirstRealArgument && currentArg.Length > 0 && currentArg[0] != '-')
             {
                 toolName = currentArg;
                 isFirstRealArgument = false;
diff --git a/test/UnitTests/Microsoft.Testing.Platform.UnitTests/CommandLine/ArgumentArityTests.cs b/test/UnitTests/Microsoft.Testing.Platform.UnitTests/CommandLine/ArgumentArityTests.cs
index 18d10a3281..babc83943a 100644
--- a/test/UnitTests/Microsoft.Testing.Platform.UnitTests/CommandLine/ArgumentArityTests.cs
+++ b/test/UnitTests/Microsoft.Testing.Platform.UnitTests/CommandLine/ArgumentArityTests.cs
@@ -23,6 +23,28 @@ public sealed class ArgumentArityTests
         new ExtensionCommandLineProviderMockOptionsWithDifferentArity()
     ];
 
+    [TestMethod]
+    public async Task ParseAndValidate_EmptyArgument_ShouldNotThrowException()
+    {
+        // Arrange
+        string[] args = [string.Empty];
+        CommandLineParseResult parseResult = CommandLineParser.Parse(args, new SystemEnvironment());
+
+        // Act
+        ValidationResult result = await CommandLineOptionsValidator.ValidateAsync(parseResult, _systemCommandLineOptionsProviders,
+            _extensionCommandLineOptionsProviders, new Mock<ICommandLineOptions>().Object);
+
+        // Assert
+        Assert.IsFalse(result.IsValid);
+#pragma warning disable SA1027 // Use tabs correctly
+        Assert.AreEqual(
+            """
+            Invalid command line arguments:
+            	- Unexpected argument 
+            """, result.ErrorMessage, StringComparer.Ordinal);
+#pragma warning restore SA1027 // Use tabs correctly
+    }
+
     [TestMethod]
     public async Task ParseAndValidate_WhenOptionWithArityZeroIsCalledWithOneArgument_ReturnsFalse()
     {