diff --git a/picard/script/functions.py b/picard/script/functions.py
index 3e7a13120..01fddd7ab 100644
--- a/picard/script/functions.py
+++ b/picard/script/functions.py
@@ -1196,6 +1196,8 @@ Iterates over each element found in the multi-value tag `name` and updates the
     `_loop_value` and the count is stored in the tag `_loop_count`. This allows
     the element or count value to be accessed within the `code` script.
 
+Empty elements are automatically removed.
+
 Example:
 
     $map(First:A; Second:B,$upper(%_loop_count%=%_loop_value%))
@@ -1208,10 +1210,13 @@ def func_map(parser, multi, loop_code, separator=MULTI_VALUED_JOINER):
     for loop_count, value in enumerate(multi_value, 1):
         func_set(parser, '_loop_count', str(loop_count))
         func_set(parser, '_loop_value', str(value))
+        # Make changes in-place
         multi_value[loop_count - 1] = str(loop_code.eval(parser))
     func_unset(parser, '_loop_count')
     func_unset(parser, '_loop_value')
-    return str(multi_value)
+    # Remove empty elements from existing multi-value variable
+    multi_value._multi = [x for x in multi_value if x]
+    return multi_value.separator.join(multi_value)
 
 
 @script_function(eval_args=False, documentation=N_(
diff --git a/test/test_script.py b/test/test_script.py
index 5179ed12d..65823a562 100644
--- a/test/test_script.py
+++ b/test/test_script.py
@@ -1204,19 +1204,24 @@ class ScriptParserTest(PicardTestCase):
 
     def test_cmd_map(self):
         context = Metadata()
-        context["foo"] = "First:A; Second:B; Third:C"
-        context["bar"] = ["First:A", "Second:B", "Third:C"]
         foo_output = "1=FIRST:A; SECOND:B; THIRD:C"
         loop_output = "1=FIRST:A; 2=SECOND:B; 3=THIRD:C"
         alternate_output = "1=FIRST:2=A; SECOND:3=B; THIRD:4=C"
         # Tests with context
+        context["foo"] = "First:A; Second:B; Third:C"
         self.assertScriptResultEquals("$map(%foo%,$upper(%_loop_count%=%_loop_value%))", foo_output, context)
+        context["bar"] = ["First:A", "Second:B", "Third:C"]
         self.assertScriptResultEquals("$map(%bar%,$upper(%_loop_count%=%_loop_value%))", loop_output, context)
         # Tests with static inputs
         self.assertScriptResultEquals("$map(First:A; Second:B; Third:C,$upper(%_loop_count%=%_loop_value%))", loop_output, context)
+        # Tests for removing empty elements
+        context["baz"] = ["First:A", "Second:B", "", "Third:C"]
+        self.assertScriptResultEquals("$map(%baz%,$upper(%_loop_count%=%_loop_value%))", loop_output, context)
+        context["baz"] = ["First:A", "Second:B", "", "Third:C"]
+        self.assertScriptResultEquals("$map(%baz%,$upper(%_loop_count%=%_loop_value%)) / %baz%", loop_output + " / " + loop_output, context)
         # Tests with missing inputs
         self.assertScriptResultEquals("$map(,$upper(%_loop_count%=%_loop_value%))", "", context)
-        self.assertScriptResultEquals("$map(First:A; Second:B; Third:C,)", "; ; ", context)
+        self.assertScriptResultEquals("$map(First:A; Second:B; Third:C,)", "", context)
         # Tests with separator override
         self.assertScriptResultEquals("$map(First:A; Second:B; Third:C,$upper(%_loop_count%=%_loop_value%),:)", alternate_output, context)
         # Tests with invalid number of arguments