diff --git a/modules/core/src/main/java/org/locationtech/jts/operation/relateng/RelateNG.java b/modules/core/src/main/java/org/locationtech/jts/operation/relateng/RelateNG.java
index 97af365712..c0f0594069 100644
--- a/modules/core/src/main/java/org/locationtech/jts/operation/relateng/RelateNG.java
+++ b/modules/core/src/main/java/org/locationtech/jts/operation/relateng/RelateNG.java
@@ -227,10 +227,6 @@ public boolean evaluate(Geometry b, TopologyPredicate predicate) {
         
     RelateGeometry geomB = new RelateGeometry(b, boundaryNodeRule);
     
-    if (geomA.isEmpty() && geomB.isEmpty()) {
-      //TODO: what if predicate is disjoint?  Perhaps use result on disjoint envs?
-      return finishValue(predicate);
-    }
     int dimA = geomA.getDimensionReal();
     int dimB = geomB.getDimensionReal();
     
diff --git a/modules/core/src/main/java/org/locationtech/jts/operation/relateng/RelatePredicate.java b/modules/core/src/main/java/org/locationtech/jts/operation/relateng/RelatePredicate.java
index 87d9f51b53..7802be5a9b 100644
--- a/modules/core/src/main/java/org/locationtech/jts/operation/relateng/RelatePredicate.java
+++ b/modules/core/src/main/java/org/locationtech/jts/operation/relateng/RelatePredicate.java
@@ -482,11 +482,20 @@ public static TopologyPredicate equalsTopo() {
       @Override
       public void init(int dimA, int dimB) {
         super.init(dimA, dimB);
-        require(dimA == dimB);
+        //-- don't require equal dims, because EMPTY = EMPTY for all dims
       }
       
+      @Override
+      public boolean requireInteraction() {
+        //-- allow EMPTY = EMPTY
+        return false;
+      };
+    
       @Override
       public void init(Envelope envA, Envelope envB) {
+        //-- handle EMPTY = EMPTY cases
+        setValueIf(true, envA.isNull() && envB.isNull());
+        
         require(envA.equals(envB));
       }   
       
diff --git a/modules/core/src/test/java/org/locationtech/jts/operation/relateng/RelateNGTest.java b/modules/core/src/test/java/org/locationtech/jts/operation/relateng/RelateNGTest.java
index 21f1aac5fe..93633935d5 100644
--- a/modules/core/src/test/java/org/locationtech/jts/operation/relateng/RelateNGTest.java
+++ b/modules/core/src/test/java/org/locationtech/jts/operation/relateng/RelateNGTest.java
@@ -597,7 +597,7 @@ public void testRepeatedPointAA() {
     checkRelate(a, b, "212F01FF2");
   }
   
-  //================  Repeated Points  ==============
+  //================  EMPTY geometries  ==============
 
   public void testEmptyEquals() {
     String empties[] = {
@@ -614,9 +614,8 @@ public void testEmptyEquals() {
       for (int j = 0; j < nempty; j++) {
         String a = empties[i];
         String b = empties[j];
-        checkRelate(a, b, "FFFFFFFF2");
-        //-- currently in JTS empty geometries do NOT test equal
-         checkEquals(a, b, false);
+        ///-- empty geometries are all topologically equal
+        checkEquals(a, b, true);
       }
     }  
   }