diff --git a/Build/build.ps1 b/Build/build.ps1
index cdc7dc35..ca539e97 100644
--- a/Build/build.ps1
+++ b/Build/build.ps1
@@ -123,6 +123,8 @@ function MergeAssembly($dllPrimaryAssembly, $signKey, [string[]]$mergedAssemlies
   $temporaryDir = $primary.DirectoryName + "\" + [Guid]::NewGuid().ToString()
   New-Item $temporaryDir -ItemType Directory
   
+  $ilMergeKeyFile = switch($signAssemblies) { $true { "/keyfile:$signKeyPath" } default { "" } }
+  
   try
   {
     exec { .\Tools\ILMerge\ilmerge.exe "/internalize" "/closed" "/log:$workingDir\$mergedAssemblyName.MergeLog.txt" $ilMergeKeyFile "/out:$temporaryDir\$mergedAssemblyName" $dllPrimaryAssembly $mergeAssemblyPaths } "Error executing ILMerge"
diff --git a/Src/Newtonsoft.Json.Tests/Linq/JTokenReaderTest.cs b/Src/Newtonsoft.Json.Tests/Linq/JTokenReaderTest.cs
index 2a8a8e60..f3e4a3a7 100644
--- a/Src/Newtonsoft.Json.Tests/Linq/JTokenReaderTest.cs
+++ b/Src/Newtonsoft.Json.Tests/Linq/JTokenReaderTest.cs
@@ -261,8 +261,6 @@ namespace Newtonsoft.Json.Tests.Linq
 
       TextReader textReader = new StringReader(json);
       JsonReader jsonReader = new JsonTextReader(textReader);
-      //var result = (HasBytes)JsonSerializer.Create(null)
-      //                 .Deserialize(jsonReader, typeof(HasBytes));
 
       var jToken = JToken.ReadFrom(jsonReader);
 
@@ -273,5 +271,24 @@ namespace Newtonsoft.Json.Tests.Linq
 
       Assert.AreEqual(new byte[] { 1, 2, 3, 4 }, result2.Bytes);
     }
+
+    [Test]
+    public void ReadBytesFromEmptyString()
+    {
+      var bytes = new HasBytes { Bytes = new byte[0] };
+      var json = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(bytes);
+
+      TextReader textReader = new StringReader(json);
+      JsonReader jsonReader = new JsonTextReader(textReader);
+
+      var jToken = JToken.ReadFrom(jsonReader);
+
+      jsonReader = new JTokenReader(jToken);
+
+      var result2 = (HasBytes)JsonSerializer.Create(null)
+                 .Deserialize(jsonReader, typeof(HasBytes));
+
+      Assert.AreEqual(new byte[0], result2.Bytes);
+    }
   }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/Src/Newtonsoft.Json.Tests/Serialization/JsonSerializerTest.cs b/Src/Newtonsoft.Json.Tests/Serialization/JsonSerializerTest.cs
index 95774c26..3ffe737d 100644
--- a/Src/Newtonsoft.Json.Tests/Serialization/JsonSerializerTest.cs
+++ b/Src/Newtonsoft.Json.Tests/Serialization/JsonSerializerTest.cs
@@ -3436,5 +3436,32 @@ keyword such as type of business.""
       Assert.IsTrue(d.Contains("III"));
     }
 #endif
+
+    private class MyClass
+    {
+      public byte[] Prop1 { get; set; }
+
+      public MyClass()
+      {
+        Prop1 = new byte[0];
+      }
+    }
+
+    [Test]
+    public void DeserializeByteArray()
+    {
+      JsonSerializer serializer1 = new JsonSerializer();
+      serializer1.Converters.Add(new IsoDateTimeConverter());
+      serializer1.NullValueHandling = NullValueHandling.Ignore;
+
+      string json = @"[{""Prop1"":""""},{""Prop1"":""""}]";
+
+      JsonTextReader reader = new JsonTextReader(new StringReader(json));
+
+      MyClass[] z = (MyClass[])serializer1.Deserialize(reader, typeof(MyClass[]));
+      Assert.AreEqual(2, z.Length);
+      Assert.AreEqual(0, z[0].Prop1.Length);
+      Assert.AreEqual(0, z[1].Prop1.Length);
+    }
   }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/Src/Newtonsoft.Json/JsonTextReader.cs b/Src/Newtonsoft.Json/JsonTextReader.cs
index a9e36b5d..446542c1 100644
--- a/Src/Newtonsoft.Json/JsonTextReader.cs
+++ b/Src/Newtonsoft.Json/JsonTextReader.cs
@@ -337,8 +337,16 @@ namespace Newtonsoft.Json
                 case '\'':
                   ReadStringIntoBuffer(currentChar);
 
-                  byte[] data = Convert.FromBase64CharArray(_buffer.GetInternalBuffer(), 0, _buffer.Position);
-                  _buffer.Position = 0;
+                  byte[] data;
+                  if (_buffer.Position == 0)
+                  {
+                    data = new byte[0];
+                  }
+                  else
+                  {
+                    data = Convert.FromBase64CharArray(_buffer.GetInternalBuffer(), 0, _buffer.Position);
+                    _buffer.Position = 0;
+                  }
 
                   SetToken(JsonToken.Bytes, data);
 
diff --git a/Src/Newtonsoft.Json/Linq/JTokenReader.cs b/Src/Newtonsoft.Json/Linq/JTokenReader.cs
index 74ee21ea..37234192 100644
--- a/Src/Newtonsoft.Json/Linq/JTokenReader.cs
+++ b/Src/Newtonsoft.Json/Linq/JTokenReader.cs
@@ -41,7 +41,8 @@ namespace Newtonsoft.Json.Linq
       // attempt to convert possible base 64 string to bytes
       if (TokenType == JsonToken.String)
       {
-        byte[] data = Convert.FromBase64String((string)Value);
+        string s = (string) Value;
+        byte[] data = (s.Length == 0) ? new byte[0] : Convert.FromBase64String(s);
         SetToken(JsonToken.Bytes, data);
       }