diff --git a/modules/image/image.field.inc b/modules/image/image.field.inc
index 43e118a705f210267eee47abcbe1f0f37f00995e..10d385da788ba70a5f14c0c7729820256bebb4fc 100644
--- a/modules/image/image.field.inc
+++ b/modules/image/image.field.inc
@@ -547,7 +547,7 @@ function theme_image_formatter($variables) {
     $output = theme('image', $image);
   }
 
-  if ($variables['path']) {
+  if (!empty($variables['path']['path'])) {
     $path = $variables['path']['path'];
     $options = $variables['path']['options'];
     // When displaying an image inside a link, the html option must be TRUE.