diff --git a/src/config/api-server/vnc_cfg_api_server.py b/src/config/api-server/vnc_cfg_api_server.py
index 49bbb927fda..7070241f083 100644
--- a/src/config/api-server/vnc_cfg_api_server.py
+++ b/src/config/api-server/vnc_cfg_api_server.py
@@ -487,7 +487,7 @@ def stateful_create():
             obj_ids.update(result)
 
             env = get_request().headers.environ
-            tenant_name = env.get(hdr_server_tenant(), 'default-project')
+            tenant_name = env.get(hdr_server_tenant()) or 'default-project'
 
             get_context().set_state('PRE_DBE_CREATE')
             # type-specific hook
@@ -968,7 +968,7 @@ def http_resource_list(self, obj_type):
 
         db_conn = self._db_conn
         env = get_request().headers.environ
-        tenant_name = env.get(hdr_server_tenant(), 'default-project')
+        tenant_name = env.get(hdr_server_tenant()) or 'default-project'
         parent_uuids = None
         back_ref_uuids = None
         obj_uuids = None
@@ -2891,7 +2891,7 @@ def _list_collection(self, obj_type, parent_uuids=None,
 
         # include objects shared with tenant
         env = get_request().headers.environ
-        tenant_name = env.get(hdr_server_tenant(), 'default-project')
+        tenant_name = env.get(hdr_server_tenant()) or 'default-project'
         tenant_fq_name = ['default-domain', tenant_name]
         try:
             tenant_uuid = self._db_conn.fq_name_to_uuid('project', tenant_fq_name)