diff --git a/src/H5Tconv.c b/src/H5Tconv.c
index 534820bc93..3a94bb293e 100644
--- a/src/H5Tconv.c
+++ b/src/H5Tconv.c
@@ -2838,13 +2838,12 @@ H5T_conv_vlen(hid_t src_id, hid_t dst_id, H5T_cdata_t *cdata, size_t nelmts,
 
                             /* Check if conversion buffer is large enough, resize if
                              * necessary.  If the SEQ_LEN is 0, allocate a minimal size buffer. */
-			    if(src_size==0 && dst_size==0) {
+			    if(!seq_len && !conv_buf) {
                                 conv_buf_size=((1/H5T_VLEN_MIN_CONF_BUF_SIZE)+1)*H5T_VLEN_MIN_CONF_BUF_SIZE;
-                                if((conv_buf=H5FL_BLK_REALLOC(vlen_seq,conv_buf, conv_buf_size))==NULL)
+                                if((conv_buf=H5FL_BLK_MALLOC(vlen_seq,conv_buf_size))==NULL)
                                     HGOTO_ERROR (H5E_RESOURCE, H5E_NOSPACE, FAIL, "memory allocation failed for type conversion");
 			    }
-
-                            if(conv_buf_size<MAX(src_size,dst_size)) {
+                            else if(conv_buf_size<MAX(src_size,dst_size)) {
                                 /* Only allocate conversion buffer in H5T_VLEN_MIN_CONF_BUF_SIZE increments */
                                 conv_buf_size=((MAX(src_size,dst_size)/H5T_VLEN_MIN_CONF_BUF_SIZE)+1)*H5T_VLEN_MIN_CONF_BUF_SIZE;
                                 if((conv_buf=H5FL_BLK_REALLOC(vlen_seq,conv_buf, conv_buf_size))==NULL)
diff --git a/test/tvlstr.c b/test/tvlstr.c
index a7b2a325ee..e41da26221 100644
--- a/test/tvlstr.c
+++ b/test/tvlstr.c
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ test_vlstrings_basic(void)
 static void
 test_vlstrings_special(void)
 {
-    const char *wdata[SPACE1_DIM1] = {"one", "two", "", "\0"};
+    const char *wdata[SPACE1_DIM1] = {"", "two", "three", "\0"};
     const char *wdata2[SPACE1_DIM1] = {NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL};
     char *rdata[SPACE1_DIM1];   /* Information read in */
     char *fill;                 /* Fill value */