diff --git a/dotdrop/cfg_yaml.py b/dotdrop/cfg_yaml.py
index af8eb78..c09992b 100644
--- a/dotdrop/cfg_yaml.py
+++ b/dotdrop/cfg_yaml.py
@@ -398,6 +398,9 @@ class CfgYaml:
             return profiles
         new = {}
         for k, v in profiles.items():
+            if not v:
+                # no dotfiles
+                continue
             # add dotfiles entry if not present
             if self.key_profile_dotfiles not in v:
                 v[self.key_profile_dotfiles] = []
diff --git a/dotdrop/dotdrop.py b/dotdrop/dotdrop.py
index d9c0712..f499ae4 100644
--- a/dotdrop/dotdrop.py
+++ b/dotdrop/dotdrop.py
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ def cmd_install(o):
 def cmd_compare(o, tmp):
     """compare dotfiles and return True if all identical"""
     dotfiles = o.dotfiles
-    if dotfiles == []:
+    if not dotfiles:
         msg = 'no dotfile defined for this profile (\"{}\")'
         LOG.warn(msg.format(o.profile))
         return True