diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/1972-ini_file-empty-str-value.yml b/changelogs/fragments/1972-ini_file-empty-str-value.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7beba5ac4c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/1972-ini_file-empty-str-value.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+bugfixes:
+  - ini_file - allows an empty string as a value for an option (https://github.com/ansible-collections/community.general/pull/1972).
diff --git a/plugins/modules/files/ini_file.py b/plugins/modules/files/ini_file.py
index e476c6e8d6..ac4c6d0cf3 100644
--- a/plugins/modules/files/ini_file.py
+++ b/plugins/modules/files/ini_file.py
@@ -114,9 +114,7 @@ from ansible.module_utils.basic import AnsibleModule
 
 def match_opt(option, line):
     option = re.escape(option)
-    return re.match('( |\t)*%s( |\t)*(=|$)' % option, line) \
-        or re.match('#( |\t)*%s( |\t)*(=|$)' % option, line) \
-        or re.match(';( |\t)*%s( |\t)*(=|$)' % option, line)
+    return re.match('[#;]?( |\t)*%s( |\t)*(=|$)' % option, line)
 
 
 def match_active_opt(option, line):
@@ -251,9 +249,9 @@ def do_ini(module, filename, section=None, option=None, value=None,
     if not within_section and state == 'present':
         ini_lines.append('[%s]\n' % section)
         msg = 'section and option added'
-        if option and value:
+        if option and value is not None:
             ini_lines.append(assignment_format % (option, value))
-        elif option and not value and allow_no_value:
+        elif option and value is None and allow_no_value:
             ini_lines.append('%s\n' % option)
         else:
             msg = 'only section added'
@@ -312,7 +310,7 @@ def main():
     allow_no_value = module.params['allow_no_value']
     create = module.params['create']
 
-    if state == 'present' and not allow_no_value and not value:
+    if state == 'present' and not allow_no_value and value is None:
         module.fail_json("Parameter 'value' must not be empty if state=present and allow_no_value=False")
 
     (changed, backup_file, diff, msg) = do_ini(module, path, section, option, value, state, backup, no_extra_spaces, create, allow_no_value)
diff --git a/tests/integration/targets/ini_file/tasks/main.yml b/tests/integration/targets/ini_file/tasks/main.yml
index 83b850809a..2e84147c72 100644
--- a/tests/integration/targets/ini_file/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/tests/integration/targets/ini_file/tasks/main.yml
@@ -444,3 +444,39 @@
   assert:
     that:
       - content14 == expected14
+
+- name: Check add option with empty string value
+  block:
+    - name: Remove drinks
+      ini_file:
+        path: "{{ output_file }}"
+        section: drinks
+        state: absent
+    - name: Remove tea
+      ini_file:
+        path: "{{ output_file }}"
+        section:
+        option: like
+        value: tea
+        state: absent
+    - name: Test with empty string
+      ini_file:
+        path: "{{ output_file }}"
+        section: extensions
+        option: evolve
+        value: ""
+
+- name: read content from output file
+  slurp:
+    src: "{{ output_file }}"
+  register: output_content
+
+- name: set expected content and get current ini file content
+  set_fact:
+    expected15: "\n[extensions]\nevolve = \n"
+    content15: "{{ output_content.content | b64decode }}"
+- debug: var=content15
+- name: Verify content of ini file is as expected
+  assert:
+    that:
+      - content15 == expected15