diff --git a/pgxn/neon/communicator/src/worker_process/worker_interface.rs b/pgxn/neon/communicator/src/worker_process/worker_interface.rs
index d91f109706..50740acf69 100644
--- a/pgxn/neon/communicator/src/worker_process/worker_interface.rs
+++ b/pgxn/neon/communicator/src/worker_process/worker_interface.rs
@@ -30,7 +30,14 @@ pub extern "C" fn communicator_worker_process_launch(
     // Convert the arguments into more convenient Rust types
     let tenant_id = unsafe { CStr::from_ptr(tenant_id) }.to_str().unwrap();
     let timeline_id = unsafe { CStr::from_ptr(timeline_id) }.to_str().unwrap();
-    let auth_token = unsafe { auth_token.as_ref() }.map(|s| s.to_string());
+    let auth_token = {
+        let token_str = unsafe { CStr::from_ptr(auth_token) }.to_str().unwrap();
+        if token_str == "" {
+            None
+        } else {
+            Some(token_str.to_string())
+        }
+    };
     let file_cache_path = {
         if file_cache_path.is_null() {
             None