diff --git a/CHANGES.md b/CHANGES.md
index 35abbd8763..280bf8f41e 100644
--- a/CHANGES.md
+++ b/CHANGES.md
@@ -8,11 +8,11 @@ Next Release (5.11.0)
 Features
 --------
 * [#1398](https://github.com/java-native-access/jna/pull/1398): Increase `c.s.j.p.win32.Sspi#MAX_TOKEN_SIZE` on Windows 8/Server 2012 and later - [@dbwiddis](https://github.com/dbwiddis).
-* [#1398](https://github.com/java-native-access/jna/pull/1403): Rebuild AIX binaries with libffi 3.4.2 (other architectures were part of 5.10) - [@matthiasblaesing](https://github.com/matthiasblaesing).
+* [#1403](https://github.com/java-native-access/jna/pull/1403): Rebuild AIX binaries with libffi 3.4.2 (other architectures were part of 5.10) - [@matthiasblaesing](https://github.com/matthiasblaesing).
 
 Bug Fixes
 ---------
-
+* [#1411](https://github.com/java-native-access/jna/pull/1411): Do not throw `Win32Exception` on success for empty section in `Kernel32Util#getPrivateProfileSection` - [@mkarg](https://github.com/mkarg).
 
 Release 5.10.0
 ==============
diff --git a/contrib/platform/src/com/sun/jna/platform/win32/Kernel32Util.java b/contrib/platform/src/com/sun/jna/platform/win32/Kernel32Util.java
index 175690c256..9654fc52b1 100644
--- a/contrib/platform/src/com/sun/jna/platform/win32/Kernel32Util.java
+++ b/contrib/platform/src/com/sun/jna/platform/win32/Kernel32Util.java
@@ -719,6 +719,9 @@ public static final SYSTEM_LOGICAL_PROCESSOR_INFORMATION_EX[] getLogicalProcesso
         return procInfoList.toArray(new SYSTEM_LOGICAL_PROCESSOR_INFORMATION_EX[0]);
     }
 
+    // Prevents useless heap pollution
+    private static final String[] EMPTY_STRING_ARRAY = new String[0];
+
     /**
      * Retrieves all the keys and values for the specified section of an initialization file.
      *
@@ -739,7 +742,12 @@ public static final SYSTEM_LOGICAL_PROCESSOR_INFORMATION_EX[] getLogicalProcesso
     public static final String[] getPrivateProfileSection(final String appName, final String fileName) {
         final char buffer[] = new char[32768]; // Maximum section size according to MSDN (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ms724348(v=vs.85).aspx)
         if (Kernel32.INSTANCE.GetPrivateProfileSection(appName, buffer, new DWORD(buffer.length), fileName).intValue() == 0) {
-            throw new Win32Exception(Kernel32.INSTANCE.GetLastError());
+            final int lastError = Kernel32.INSTANCE.GetLastError();
+            if (lastError == Kernel32.ERROR_SUCCESS) {
+                return EMPTY_STRING_ARRAY;
+            } else {
+                throw new Win32Exception(lastError);
+            }
         }
         return new String(buffer).split("\0");
     }
diff --git a/contrib/platform/test/com/sun/jna/platform/win32/Kernel32UtilTest.java b/contrib/platform/test/com/sun/jna/platform/win32/Kernel32UtilTest.java
index 5d326eace7..cd96bfbee1 100644
--- a/contrib/platform/test/com/sun/jna/platform/win32/Kernel32UtilTest.java
+++ b/contrib/platform/test/com/sun/jna/platform/win32/Kernel32UtilTest.java
@@ -244,9 +244,18 @@ public final void testGetPrivateProfileSection() throws IOException {
         final File tmp = File.createTempFile("testGetPrivateProfileSection", ".ini");
         tmp.deleteOnExit();
 
-        final PrintWriter writer = new PrintWriter(new BufferedWriter(new FileWriter(tmp)));
+        final PrintWriter writer0 = new PrintWriter(new BufferedWriter(new FileWriter(tmp)));
+        try {
+            writer0.println("[X]");
+        } finally {
+            writer0.close();
+        }
+
+        final String[] lines0 = Kernel32Util.getPrivateProfileSection("X", tmp.getCanonicalPath());
+        assertEquals(lines0.length, 0);
+
+        final PrintWriter writer = new PrintWriter(new BufferedWriter(new FileWriter(tmp, true)));
         try {
-            writer.println("[X]");
             writer.println("A=1");
             writer.println("foo=bar");
         } finally {