diff --git a/botocore/parsers.py b/botocore/parsers.py
index 99eb4e3409..57d499fa7e 100644
--- a/botocore/parsers.py
+++ b/botocore/parsers.py
@@ -428,11 +428,6 @@ def _inject_response_metadata(self, node, inject_into):
                 sub_mapping[key] = value.text
             inject_into['ResponseMetadata'] = sub_mapping
 
-    def _handle_string(self, shape, node):
-        return node.text
-
-    _handle_character = _handle_string
-
 
 class EC2QueryParser(QueryParser):
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/protocols/output/ec2.json b/tests/unit/protocols/output/ec2.json
index a85607a65d..5b76bf5fda 100644
--- a/tests/unit/protocols/output/ec2.json
+++ b/tests/unit/protocols/output/ec2.json
@@ -413,5 +413,42 @@
         }
       }
     ]
+  },
+  {
+    "description": "Empty string",
+    "metadata": {
+      "protocol": "ec2"
+    },
+    "shapes": {
+      "OutputShape": {
+        "type": "structure",
+        "members": {
+          "Foo": {
+            "shape": "StringType"
+          }
+        }
+      },
+      "StringType": {
+        "type": "string"
+      }
+    },
+    "cases": [
+      {
+        "given": {
+          "output": {
+            "shape": "OutputShape"
+          },
+          "name": "OperationName"
+        },
+        "result": {
+          "Foo": ""
+        },
+        "response": {
+          "status_code": 200,
+          "headers": {},
+          "body": "<OperationNameResponse><Foo/><RequestId>requestid</RequestId></OperationNameResponse>"
+        }
+      }
+    ]
   }
 ]
diff --git a/tests/unit/protocols/output/query.json b/tests/unit/protocols/output/query.json
index 5ffd5ac263..eee10b8301 100644
--- a/tests/unit/protocols/output/query.json
+++ b/tests/unit/protocols/output/query.json
@@ -772,5 +772,42 @@
         }
       }
     ]
+  },
+  {
+    "description": "Empty string",
+    "metadata": {
+      "protocol": "query"
+    },
+    "shapes": {
+      "OutputShape": {
+        "type": "structure",
+        "members": {
+          "Foo": {
+            "shape": "StringType"
+          }
+        }
+      },
+      "StringType": {
+        "type": "string"
+      }
+    },
+    "cases": [
+      {
+        "given": {
+          "output": {
+            "shape": "OutputShape"
+          },
+          "name": "OperationName"
+        },
+        "result": {
+          "Foo": ""
+        },
+        "response": {
+          "status_code": 200,
+          "headers": {},
+          "body": "<OperationNameResponse><Foo/><RequestId>requestid</RequestId></OperationNameResponse>"
+        }
+      }
+    ]
   }
 ]
diff --git a/tests/unit/protocols/output/rest-xml.json b/tests/unit/protocols/output/rest-xml.json
index ba1f09ffa8..705422564f 100644
--- a/tests/unit/protocols/output/rest-xml.json
+++ b/tests/unit/protocols/output/rest-xml.json
@@ -679,5 +679,42 @@
         }
       }
     ]
+  },
+  {
+    "description": "Empty string",
+    "metadata": {
+      "protocol": "rest-xml"
+    },
+    "shapes": {
+      "OutputShape": {
+        "type": "structure",
+        "members": {
+          "Foo": {
+            "shape": "StringType"
+          }
+        }
+      },
+      "StringType": {
+        "type": "string"
+      }
+    },
+    "cases": [
+      {
+        "given": {
+          "output": {
+            "shape": "OutputShape"
+          },
+          "name": "OperationName"
+        },
+        "result": {
+          "Foo": ""
+        },
+        "response": {
+          "status_code": 200,
+          "headers": {},
+          "body": "<OperationNameResponse><Foo/><RequestId>requestid</RequestId></OperationNameResponse>"
+        }
+      }
+    ]
   }
 ]