diff --git a/docs/changes/1.x/1.4.0.md b/docs/changes/1.x/1.4.0.md
index 8db845337d..3d2fa31535 100644
--- a/docs/changes/1.x/1.4.0.md
+++ b/docs/changes/1.x/1.4.0.md
@@ -18,3 +18,5 @@
 - Add test case to make sure vMerge defaults to 'continue' by [@SpraxDev](https://github.com/SpraxDev) in [#2677](https://github.com/PHPOffice/PHPWord/pull/2677)
 
 ### BC Breaks
+
+- TemplateProcessor: Fix 0 considered as empty string. Fixing [#2572](https://github.com/PHPOffice/PHPWord/issues/2572) in [#2617](https://github.com/PHPOffice/PHPWord/pull/2617)
diff --git a/src/PhpWord/TemplateProcessor.php b/src/PhpWord/TemplateProcessor.php
index f6fe1d8887..6cda7796f8 100644
--- a/src/PhpWord/TemplateProcessor.php
+++ b/src/PhpWord/TemplateProcessor.php
@@ -269,7 +269,7 @@ protected static function ensureMacroCompleted($macro)
      */
     protected static function ensureUtf8Encoded($subject)
     {
-        return $subject ? Text::toUTF8($subject) : '';
+        return (null !== $subject) ? Text::toUTF8($subject) : '';
     }
 
     /**