diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/cbook/__init__.py b/lib/matplotlib/cbook/__init__.py
index a7b11f5d1d91..5e3bc1955bb4 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/cbook/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/cbook/__init__.py
@@ -1416,6 +1416,8 @@ def _reshape_2D(X, name):
     """
     # Iterate over columns for ndarrays, over rows otherwise.
     X = np.atleast_1d(X.T if isinstance(X, np.ndarray) else np.asarray(X))
+    if len(X) == 0:
+        return [[]]
     if X.ndim == 1 and not isinstance(X[0], collections.abc.Iterable):
         # 1D array of scalars: directly return it.
         return [X]
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_cbook.py b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_cbook.py
index 431e51c27fc1..5b6f593e7375 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_cbook.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_cbook.py
@@ -495,7 +495,11 @@ def test_flatiter():
 def test_reshape2d():
     class dummy():
         pass
+    xnew = cbook._reshape_2D([], 'x')
+    assert np.shape(xnew) == (1, 0)
+
     x = [dummy() for j in range(5)]
+
     xnew = cbook._reshape_2D(x, 'x')
     assert np.shape(xnew) == (1, 5)