diff --git a/tests/unit/selectmenu/selectmenu.html b/tests/unit/selectmenu/selectmenu.html
index 618eea3d00a..09ffbd9ae10 100644
--- a/tests/unit/selectmenu/selectmenu.html
+++ b/tests/unit/selectmenu/selectmenu.html
@@ -82,6 +82,10 @@
 		</optgroup>
 	</select>
 
+	<label for="emptySelect">Select without an option:</label>
+	<select name="emptySelect" id="emptySelect">
+	</select>
+	
 </div>
 </body>
 </html>
diff --git a/tests/unit/selectmenu/selectmenu_methods.js b/tests/unit/selectmenu/selectmenu_methods.js
index ca1b8c6a34c..326a6e6b177 100644
--- a/tests/unit/selectmenu/selectmenu_methods.js
+++ b/tests/unit/selectmenu/selectmenu_methods.js
@@ -154,6 +154,39 @@ test( "refresh - disabled optgroup", function() {
 	}
 });
 
+test( "refresh - empty select", function() {
+	expect( 1 );
+
+	var element = $( "#emptySelect" ).selectmenu();
+	try{
+		element.selectmenu( "refresh" );
+		ok( true, "refresh empty select without error" );
+	}catch(err) {
+		ok( false, err.message );
+	}
+});
+
+test( "refresh - structure remove all options", function() {
+	expect( 4 );
+
+	var element = $( "#speed" ).selectmenu(),
+		menu = element.selectmenu( "menuWidget" ),
+		options = element.find( "option" ),
+		menuItems = menu.find( "li" ).not( ".ui-selectmenu-optgroup" );
+	// refresh select with some options
+	element.selectmenu( "refresh" );
+	ok( true, "first refresh ok" );
+	// remove all options and refresh
+	element.children().remove();
+	element.selectmenu( "refresh" );
+	ok( true, "refresh empty select ok" );
+	//check length for option and menuItems is 0
+	options = element.find( "option" );
+	menuItems = menu.find( "li" ).not( ".ui-selectmenu-optgroup" );
+	equal( options.length,   0, "options length" );
+	equal( menuItems.length, 0, "menu item length" );
+});
+
 test( "widget and menuWidget", function() {
 	expect( 4 );
 
diff --git a/ui/selectmenu.js b/ui/selectmenu.js
index 26456b0dc1b..cabbeefb935 100644
--- a/ui/selectmenu.js
+++ b/ui/selectmenu.js
@@ -203,15 +203,16 @@ return $.widget( "ui.selectmenu", {
 		var item,
 			options = this.element.find( "option" );
 
+		this._parseOptions( options );
+		this._renderMenu( this.menu, this.items );
+
+		this.menuItems = this.menu.find( "li" ).not( ".ui-selectmenu-optgroup" );
+
 		if ( !options.length ) {
 			return;
 		}
 
-		this._parseOptions( options );
-		this._renderMenu( this.menu, this.items );
-
 		this.menuInstance.refresh();
-		this.menuItems = this.menu.find( "li" ).not( ".ui-selectmenu-optgroup" );
 
 		item = this._getSelectedItem();
 
@@ -229,7 +230,7 @@ return $.widget( "ui.selectmenu", {
 		}
 
 		// If this is the first time the menu is being opened, render the items
-		if ( !this.menuItems ) {
+		if ( !this.menuItems || this.menuItems.length === 0 ) {
 			this._refreshMenu();
 		} else {