diff --git a/src/java/org/apache/ivy/plugins/version/LatestVersionMatcher.java b/src/java/org/apache/ivy/plugins/version/LatestVersionMatcher.java
index 67406989..7494d0ba 100644
--- a/src/java/org/apache/ivy/plugins/version/LatestVersionMatcher.java
+++ b/src/java/org/apache/ivy/plugins/version/LatestVersionMatcher.java
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ public class LatestVersionMatcher extends AbstractVersionMatcher {
     public boolean accept(ModuleRevisionId askedMrid, ModuleDescriptor foundMD) {
         String askedBranch = askedMrid.getBranch();
         String foundBranch = foundMD.getModuleRevisionId().getBranch();
-        boolean sameBranch = (askedBranch == null) ? foundBranch == null
+        boolean sameBranch = (askedBranch == null || askedBranch.isEmpty()) ? (foundBranch == null || foundBranch.isEmpty())
                 : askedBranch.equals(foundBranch);
         if (!sameBranch) {
             return false;