diff --git a/swh/loader/pypi/converters.py b/swh/loader/pypi/converters.py
--- a/swh/loader/pypi/converters.py
+++ b/swh/loader/pypi/converters.py
@@ -62,13 +62,12 @@
     if not fullname:
         return EMPTY_AUTHOR
 
-    if fullname:
-        fullname = fullname.encode('utf-8')
+    fullname = fullname.encode('utf-8')
 
-    if name:
+    if name is not None:
         name = name.encode('utf-8')
 
-    if email:
+    if email is not None:
         email = email.encode('utf-8')
 
     return {'fullname': fullname, 'name': name, 'email': email}
diff --git a/swh/loader/pypi/tests/test_converters.py b/swh/loader/pypi/tests/test_converters.py
--- a/swh/loader/pypi/tests/test_converters.py
+++ b/swh/loader/pypi/tests/test_converters.py
@@ -72,6 +72,36 @@
 
         self.assertEqual(actual_author, expected_author)
 
+    def test_author_empty_email(self):
+        data = {
+            'author': 'i-am-groot',
+            'author_email': '',
+        }
+        actual_author = author(data)
+
+        expected_author = {
+            'fullname': b'i-am-groot',
+            'name': b'i-am-groot',
+            'email': b'',
+        }
+
+        self.assertEqual(actual_author, expected_author)
+
+    def test_author_empty_name(self):
+        data = {
+            'author': "",
+            'author_email': 'iam@groot.org',
+        }
+        actual_author = author(data)
+
+        expected_author = {
+            'fullname': b' <iam@groot.org>',
+            'name': b'',
+            'email': b'iam@groot.org',
+        }
+
+        self.assertEqual(actual_author, expected_author)
+
     def test_author_malformed(self):
         data = {
             'author': "['pierre', 'paul', 'jacques']",