diff --git a/src/library_pthread.js b/src/library_pthread.js
index 680a6ac9dd316..7b797d68d6f4a 100644
--- a/src/library_pthread.js
+++ b/src/library_pthread.js
@@ -716,8 +716,8 @@ var LibraryPThread = {
       transferredCanvasNames = '{{{ OFFSCREENCANVASES_TO_PTHREAD }}}';
     } else
 #endif
-    transferredCanvasNames &&= UTF8ToString(transferredCanvasNames).trim();
-    transferredCanvasNames &&= transferredCanvasNames.split(',');
+    // Note: UTF8ToString(0) will return the empty string.
+    transferredCanvasNames = UTF8ToString(transferredCanvasNames).trim().split(',';
 #if GL_DEBUG
     dbg(`pthread_create: transferredCanvasNames="${transferredCanvasNames}"`);
 #endif