Index: core/jbehave-core/src/java/org/jbehave/scenario/steps/ParameterConverters.java
===================================================================
--- core/jbehave-core/src/java/org/jbehave/scenario/steps/ParameterConverters.java	(revision 1391)
+++ core/jbehave-core/src/java/org/jbehave/scenario/steps/ParameterConverters.java	(working copy)
@@ -179,6 +179,7 @@
 		}
 
 		public Object convertValue(String value, Type type) {
+			if ("".equals(value)) return asList();
 			return trim(asList(value.split(valueSeparator)));
 		}
 
Index: core/jbehave-core/src/behaviour/org/jbehave/scenario/steps/ParameterConvertersBehaviour.java
===================================================================
--- core/jbehave-core/src/behaviour/org/jbehave/scenario/steps/ParameterConvertersBehaviour.java	(revision 1391)
+++ core/jbehave-core/src/behaviour/org/jbehave/scenario/steps/ParameterConvertersBehaviour.java	(working copy)
@@ -70,6 +70,28 @@
 		ensureThat(list.get(3), equalTo(numberFormat.parse("8.00")));
 	}
 	
+	@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+	@Test
+	public void shouldConvertCommaSeparatedValuesToListOfStrings() throws IntrospectionException {
+		ParameterConverters converters = new ParameterConverters();
+		Type type = SomeSteps.methodFor("aMethodWithListOfStrings")
+				.getGenericParameterTypes()[0];
+		List<String> list = (List<String>) converters.convert(
+				"a, string ", type);
+		ensureThat(list.get(0), equalTo("a"));
+		ensureThat(list.get(1), equalTo("string"));
+	}
+	
+	@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+	@Test
+	public void shouldConvertEmptyStringToEmptyListOfStrings() throws IntrospectionException {
+		ParameterConverters converters = new ParameterConverters();
+		Type type = SomeSteps.methodFor("aMethodWithListOfStrings")
+				.getGenericParameterTypes()[0];
+		List<String> list = (List<String>) converters.convert("", type);
+		ensureThat(list.isEmpty(), equalTo(true));
+	}
+	
     @Test
     public void shouldConvertMultilineTableParameter()
             throws ParseException, IntrospectionException {