diff --git a/tests/integration/test_filter.py b/tests/integration/test_filter.py
index b42bb34..da75f6d 100644
--- a/tests/integration/test_filter.py
+++ b/tests/integration/test_filter.py
@@ -106,6 +106,18 @@ def test_decompress_gzip(tmpdir, httpbin):
     assert_is_json(decoded_response)
 
 
+def test_decomptess_empty_body(tmpdir, httpbin):
+    url = httpbin.url + "/gzip"
+    request = Request(url, headers={"Accept-Encoding": ["gzip, deflate"]}, method="HEAD")
+    cass_file = str(tmpdir.join("gzip_empty_response.yaml"))
+    with vcr.use_cassette(cass_file, decode_compressed_response=True):
+        response = urlopen(request).read()
+    with vcr.use_cassette(cass_file) as cass:
+        decoded_response = urlopen(request).read()
+        assert_cassette_has_one_response(cass)
+    assert decoded_response == response
+
+
 def test_decompress_deflate(tmpdir, httpbin):
     url = httpbin.url + "/deflate"
     request = Request(url, headers={"Accept-Encoding": ["gzip, deflate"]})
diff --git a/vcr/filters.py b/vcr/filters.py
index 8e00b64..df3dd30 100644
--- a/vcr/filters.py
+++ b/vcr/filters.py
@@ -150,6 +150,8 @@ def decode_response(response):
         """Returns decompressed body according to encoding using zlib.
         to (de-)compress gzip format, use wbits = zlib.MAX_WBITS | 16
         """
+        if not body:
+            return ""
         if encoding == "gzip":
             return zlib.decompress(body, zlib.MAX_WBITS | 16)
         else:  # encoding == 'deflate'