diff --git a/cylc/flow/workflow_events.py b/cylc/flow/workflow_events.py
index 2b99ef3d2c..704d604d2c 100644
--- a/cylc/flow/workflow_events.py
+++ b/cylc/flow/workflow_events.py
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ def get_events_conf(
             glbl_cfg().get(['scheduler', 'mail'])
         ):
             value = getter.get(key)
-            if value is not None and value != []:
+            if value is not None:
                 return value
         return default
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_workflow_events.py b/tests/unit/test_workflow_events.py
index 89449953f2..3aabc6de06 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_workflow_events.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_workflow_events.py
@@ -34,6 +34,9 @@
         ('handlers', True, True, ['stall']),
         ('handlers', False, True, None),
         ('handlers', False, False, None),
+        ('mail events', True, True, []),
+        ('mail events', False, True, ['abort']),
+        ('mail events', False, False, None),
         ('from', True, True, 'docklands@railway'),
         ('from', False, True, 'highway@mixture'),
         ('from', False, False, None),
@@ -55,13 +58,14 @@ def test_get_events_handler(
                     from = highway@mixture
                 [[events]]
                     abort on workflow timeout = True
+                    mail events = abort
             '''
         )
 
     config = SimpleNamespace()
     config.cfg = {
         'scheduler': {
-            'events': {'handlers': ['stall']},
+            'events': {'handlers': ['stall'], 'mail events': []},
             'mail': {'from': 'docklands@railway'},
         } if workflow_cfg else {'events': {}}
     }