diff --git a/src/bin/initdb/initdb.cpp b/src/bin/initdb/initdb.cpp
index 8592eef95..0c9be650b 100644
--- a/src/bin/initdb/initdb.cpp
+++ b/src/bin/initdb/initdb.cpp
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ static const char* backend_options = "--single "
 
 #define FREE_AND_RESET(ptr)  \
     do {                     \
-        if (NULL != (ptr)) { \
+        if (NULL != (ptr) && (char*)(ptr) != (char*)"") { \
             free(ptr);       \
             (ptr) = NULL;    \
         }                    \
diff --git a/src/test/regress/input/gs_initdb.source b/src/test/regress/input/gs_initdb.source
index fe5ef6503..c33d47bee 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/input/gs_initdb.source
+++ b/src/test/regress/input/gs_initdb.source
@@ -25,3 +25,9 @@
 \! rm -rf @testtablespace@/passwd.txt
 \! rm -rf @testtablespace@/test8
 
+-- use env PGDATA
+\! mkdir -p @testtablespace@/test9
+\! export PGDATA=@testtablespace@/test9 && ( @abs_bindir@/gs_initdb -w test@123 --nodename coorn9 >> @abs_bindir@/test_initdb9.log 2>&1 )
+\! cat @abs_bindir@/test_initdb9.log | grep Success
+\! rm -f @abs_bindir@/test_initdb9.log
+\! rm -rf @testtablespace@/test9
diff --git a/src/test/regress/output/gs_initdb.source b/src/test/regress/output/gs_initdb.source
index 6b62f9726..5019ee37b 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/output/gs_initdb.source
+++ b/src/test/regress/output/gs_initdb.source
@@ -102,3 +102,10 @@ freezing database postgres ... ok
 \! @abs_bindir@/gs_initdb -S -A trust --auth-host='ident' --auth-local='peer' --auth-host='ident' --auth-local='peer' -D @testtablespace@/test8 --nodename coorn8 -U test_initdb --pwfile=@testtablespace@/passwd.txt >> /dev/null 2>&1
 \! rm -rf @testtablespace@/passwd.txt
 \! rm -rf @testtablespace@/test8
+-- use env PGDATA
+\! mkdir -p @testtablespace@/test9
+\! export PGDATA=@testtablespace@/test9 && ( @abs_bindir@/gs_initdb -w test@123 --nodename coorn9 >> @abs_bindir@/test_initdb9.log 2>&1 )
+\! cat @abs_bindir@/test_initdb9.log | grep Success
+Success. You can now start the database server of single node using:
+\! rm -f @abs_bindir@/test_initdb9.log
+\! rm -rf @testtablespace@/test9