diff --git a/lib/rules/max-empty-lines/__tests__/index.js b/lib/rules/max-empty-lines/__tests__/index.js
index 50efa8ee46..dafd1ed002 100644
--- a/lib/rules/max-empty-lines/__tests__/index.js
+++ b/lib/rules/max-empty-lines/__tests__/index.js
@@ -478,6 +478,50 @@ testRule({
 	],
 });
 
+testRule({
+	ruleName,
+	config: [2],
+	skipBasicChecks: true,
+	syntax: 'sugarss',
+	fix: true,
+
+	accept: [
+		{
+			code: '\n\n// one',
+		},
+		{
+			code: '// one\n\n',
+		},
+		{
+			code: '// one\n\n\n// two\n',
+		},
+	],
+
+	reject: [
+		{
+			code: '\n\n\n// one',
+			fixed: '\n\n// one',
+			message: messages.expected(2),
+			line: 3,
+			column: 1,
+		},
+		{
+			code: '// one\n\n\n',
+			fixed: '// one\n\n',
+			message: messages.expected(2),
+			line: 4,
+			column: 1,
+		},
+		{
+			code: '// one\n\n\n\n// two\n',
+			fixed: '// one\n\n\n// two\n',
+			message: messages.expected(2),
+			line: 4,
+			column: 1,
+		},
+	],
+});
+
 testRule({
 	ruleName,
 	config: [2, { ignore: 'comments' }],
diff --git a/lib/rules/max-empty-lines/index.js b/lib/rules/max-empty-lines/index.js
index cd0ffe9450..4f7985db1d 100644
--- a/lib/rules/max-empty-lines/index.js
+++ b/lib/rules/max-empty-lines/index.js
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ function rule(max, options, context) {
 		function replaceEmptyLines(max, str, isSpecialCase = false) {
 			const repeatTimes = isSpecialCase ? max : max + 1;
 
-			if (repeatTimes === 0) {
+			if (repeatTimes === 0 || typeof str !== 'string') {
 				return '';
 			}