diff -urp meld-1.3.1.OLD/misc.py meld-1.3.1/misc.py
--- meld-1.3.1.OLD/misc.py	2009-08-14 01:01:33.000000000 -0400
+++ meld-1.3.1/misc.py	2010-09-11 11:49:44.113243001 -0400
@@ -233,6 +233,8 @@ def read_pipe_iter(command, errorstream,
             if status:
                 errorstream.write("Exit code: %i\n" % status)
             yield "".join(bits)
+    if workdir == "":
+        workdir = None
     return sentinel()()
 
 def write_pipe(command, text):