diff --git a/packages/gatsby-remark-prismjs/src/directives.js b/packages/gatsby-remark-prismjs/src/directives.js
index c07f8699bd206..abf4c79b07145 100644
--- a/packages/gatsby-remark-prismjs/src/directives.js
+++ b/packages/gatsby-remark-prismjs/src/directives.js
@@ -154,7 +154,9 @@ module.exports = function highlightLineRange(code, highlights = []) {
       })
       .map(line => {
         if (line.highlight) {
-          line.code = highlightWrap(line.code)
+          line.code
+            ? (line.code = highlightWrap(line.code))
+            : (line.code = highlightWrap(" "))
         }
         return line
       })