diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/axes/_axes.py b/lib/matplotlib/axes/_axes.py
index 76c9f3cce7fb..799cb4064cb3 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/axes/_axes.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/axes/_axes.py
@@ -2333,8 +2333,16 @@ def broken_barh(self, xranges, yrange, **kwargs):
         .. plot:: mpl_examples/pylab_examples/broken_barh.py
         """
         # process the unit information
-        self._process_unit_info(xdata=xranges[0],
-                                ydata=yrange[0],
+        if len(xranges):
+            xdata = xranges[0]
+        else:
+            xdata = None
+        if len(yrange):
+            ydata = yrange[0]
+        else:
+            ydata = None
+        self._process_unit_info(xdata=xdata,
+                                ydata=ydata,
                                 kwargs=kwargs)
         xranges = self.convert_xunits(xranges)
         yrange = self.convert_yunits(yrange)
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_axes.py b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_axes.py
index 02071022b74d..2b39ad999da8 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_axes.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_axes.py
@@ -4130,6 +4130,11 @@ def test_dash_offset():
     plt.show()
 
 
+@cleanup
+def test_broken_barh_empty():
+    fig, ax = plt.subplots()
+    ax.broken_barh([], (.1, .5))
+
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     import nose