diff --git a/packages/kbn-test/src/functional_test_runner/run_check_ftr_code_owners.ts b/packages/kbn-test/src/functional_test_runner/run_check_ftr_code_owners.ts
index d49226ebd26c7..6d99938ceea85 100644
--- a/packages/kbn-test/src/functional_test_runner/run_check_ftr_code_owners.ts
+++ b/packages/kbn-test/src/functional_test_runner/run_check_ftr_code_owners.ts
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ export async function runCheckFtrCodeOwnersCli() {
       const testFiles = await getRepoFiles(TEST_DIRECTORIES);
       for (const { repoRel } of testFiles) {
         const owners = getCodeOwnersForFile(repoRel, reversedCodeowners);
-        if (owners === undefined) {
+        if (owners === undefined || owners === '') {
           missingOwners.add(repoRel);
         }
       }