diff --git a/src/openai/lib/_parsing/_completions.py b/src/openai/lib/_parsing/_completions.py
index f1fa9f2b55..33c4ccb946 100644
--- a/src/openai/lib/_parsing/_completions.py
+++ b/src/openai/lib/_parsing/_completions.py
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ def maybe_parse_content(
     response_format: type[ResponseFormatT] | ResponseFormatParam | NotGiven,
     message: ChatCompletionMessage | ParsedChatCompletionMessage[object],
 ) -> ResponseFormatT | None:
-    if has_rich_response_format(response_format) and message.content is not None and not message.refusal:
+    if has_rich_response_format(response_format) and message.content and not message.refusal:
         return _parse_content(response_format, message.content)
 
     return None