diff --git a/lib/client/client.js b/lib/client/client.js
index f90dc82..b18a441 100644
--- a/lib/client/client.js
+++ b/lib/client/client.js
@@ -407,7 +407,7 @@ Client.prototype.abandon = function abandon(messageID, controls, callback) {
  * @throws {TypeError} on invalid input.
  */
 Client.prototype.add = function add(name, entry, controls, callback) {
-  assert.ok(name, 'name');
+  assert.ok(name !== undefined, 'name');
   assert.object(entry, 'entry');
   if (typeof (controls) === 'function') {
     callback = controls;
@@ -500,7 +500,7 @@ Client.prototype.compare = function compare(name,
                                             value,
                                             controls,
                                             callback) {
-  assert.ok(name, 'name');
+  assert.ok(name !== undefined, 'name');
   assert.string(attr, 'attr');
   assert.string(value, 'value');
   if (typeof (controls) === 'function') {
@@ -536,7 +536,7 @@ Client.prototype.compare = function compare(name,
  * @throws {TypeError} on invalid input.
  */
 Client.prototype.del = function del(name, controls, callback) {
-  assert.ok(name, 'name');
+  assert.ok(name !== undefined, 'name');
   if (typeof (controls) === 'function') {
     callback = controls;
     controls = [];
@@ -609,7 +609,7 @@ Client.prototype.exop = function exop(name, value, controls, callback) {
  * @throws {TypeError} on invalid input.
  */
 Client.prototype.modify = function modify(name, change, controls, callback) {
-  assert.ok(name, 'name');
+  assert.ok(name !== undefined, 'name');
   assert.object(change, 'change');
 
   var changes = [];
@@ -691,7 +691,7 @@ Client.prototype.modifyDN = function modifyDN(name,
                                               newName,
                                               controls,
                                               callback) {
-  assert.ok(name, 'name');
+  assert.ok(name !== undefined, 'name');
   assert.string(newName, 'newName');
   if (typeof (controls) === 'function') {
     callback = controls;
@@ -750,7 +750,7 @@ Client.prototype.search = function search(base,
                                           controls,
                                           callback,
                                           _bypass) {
-  assert.ok(base, 'base');
+  assert.ok(base !== undefined, 'search base');
   if (Array.isArray(options) || (options instanceof Control)) {
     controls = options;
     options = {};
diff --git a/lib/messages/search_request.js b/lib/messages/search_request.js
index d78d8f2..d68f5b9 100644
--- a/lib/messages/search_request.js
+++ b/lib/messages/search_request.js
@@ -64,7 +64,11 @@ function SearchRequest(options) {
     }
   });
 
-  this.baseObject = options.baseObject || new DN([ {} ]);
+  if (options.baseObject !== undefined) {
+    this.baseObject = options.baseObject;
+  } else {
+    this.baseObject = dn.parse('');
+  }
   this.scope = options.scope || 'base';
   this.derefAliases = options.derefAliases || Protocol.NEVER_DEREF_ALIASES;
   this.sizeLimit = options.sizeLimit || 0;
diff --git a/lib/server.js b/lib/server.js
index 271f770..84984d0 100644
--- a/lib/server.js
+++ b/lib/server.js
@@ -868,9 +868,13 @@ Server.prototype._getHandlerChain = function _getHandlerChain(req, res) {
           handlers: route[op]
         };
       } else {
-        // We found a valid suffix but not a valid operation.
-        // There might be a more generic suffix with a legitimate operation.
-        fallbackHandler = [defaultHandler];
+        if (suffix === '') {
+          break;
+        } else {
+          // We found a valid suffix but not a valid operation.
+          // There might be a more generic suffix with a legitimate operation.
+          fallbackHandler = [defaultHandler];
+        }
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/test/client.test.js b/test/client.test.js
index ca38f53..2c016c5 100644
--- a/test/client.test.js
+++ b/test/client.test.js
@@ -231,6 +231,23 @@ test('setup', function (t) {
     next(new ldap.BusyError('too much to do'));
   });
 
+  server.search('', function (req, res, next) {
+    if (req.dn.toString() === '') {
+      res.send({
+        dn: '',
+        attributes: {
+          objectclass: ['RootDSE', 'top']
+        }
+      });
+      res.end();
+    } else {
+      // Turn away any other requests (since '' is the fallthrough route)
+      res.errorMessage = 'No tree found for: ' + req.dn.toString();
+      res.end(ldap.LDAP_NO_SUCH_OBJECT);
+    }
+    return next();
+  });
+
   server.unbind(function (req, res, next) {
     res.end();
     return next();
@@ -274,6 +291,7 @@ test('simple bind success', function (t) {
   });
 });
 
+
 test('simple anonymous bind (empty credentials)', function (t) {
   client.bind('', '', function (err, res) {
     t.ifError(err);
@@ -283,6 +301,7 @@ test('simple anonymous bind (empty credentials)', function (t) {
   });
 });
 
+
 test('auto-bind bad credentials', function (t) {
   var clt = ldap.createClient({
     socketPath: SOCKET,
@@ -710,6 +729,29 @@ test('search referral', function (t) {
 });
 
 
+test('search rootDSE', function (t) {
+  client.search('', '(objectclass=*)', function (err, res) {
+    t.ifError(err);
+    t.ok(res);
+    res.on('searchEntry', function (entry) {
+      t.ok(entry);
+      t.equal(entry.dn.toString(), '');
+      t.ok(entry.attributes);
+      t.ok(entry.object);
+    });
+    res.on('error', function (err) {
+      t.fail(err);
+    });
+    res.on('end', function (res) {
+      t.ok(res);
+      t.ok(res instanceof ldap.SearchResponse);
+      t.equal(res.status, 0);
+      t.end();
+    });
+  });
+});
+
+
 test('search empty attribute', function (t) {
   client.search('dc=empty', '(objectclass=*)', function (err, res) {
     t.ifError(err);