diff --git a/system/Common.php b/system/Common.php
index e78f7c6ad7f1..6eeb55a3b784 100644
--- a/system/Common.php
+++ b/system/Common.php
@@ -1015,11 +1015,13 @@ function slash_item(string $item): ?string
     {
         $config = config(App::class);
 
+        $configItem = '';
+
         if (property_exists($config, $item)) {
-            $configItem = $config->{$item};
+            $configItem = (string) $config->{$item};
         }
 
-        if (! isset($configItem) || empty(trim($configItem))) {
+        if (trim($configItem) === '') {
             return null;
         }
 
diff --git a/tests/system/CommonFunctionsTest.php b/tests/system/CommonFunctionsTest.php
index 3dd8cfe3cfe8..cdf9a8af7a9d 100644
--- a/tests/system/CommonFunctionsTest.php
+++ b/tests/system/CommonFunctionsTest.php
@@ -390,9 +390,9 @@ public function testReallyWritable()
 
     public function testSlashItem()
     {
-        $this->assertSame('/', slash_item('cookiePath')); // slash already there
-        $this->assertNull(null, slash_item('cookieDomain')); // empty, so untouched
-        $this->assertSame('en/', slash_item('defaultLocale')); // slash appended
+        $this->assertSame('/', slash_item('cookiePath'));
+        $this->assertNull(slash_item('cookieDomain'));
+        $this->assertSame('en/', slash_item('defaultLocale'));
     }
 
     protected function injectSessionMock()