diff --git a/lib/jekyll/post.rb b/lib/jekyll/post.rb
index 683d5543..60aa8fd7 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/post.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/post.rb
@@ -319,7 +319,7 @@ module Jekyll
     end
 
     def should_generate_excerpt?
-      !(site.config['excerpt_separator'].to_s == "")
+      !(site.config['excerpt_separator'].to_s.empty?)
     end
   end
 end