diff -up openssl-3.0.0-alpha16/apps/lib/apps.c.spkac openssl-3.0.0-alpha16/apps/lib/apps.c
--- openssl-3.0.0-alpha16/apps/lib/apps.c.spkac	2021-06-04 09:28:48.162316896 +0200
+++ openssl-3.0.0-alpha16/apps/lib/apps.c	2021-06-04 09:32:53.911795489 +0200
@@ -403,14 +403,18 @@ CONF *app_load_config_verbose(const char
 
 CONF *app_load_config_internal(const char *filename, int quiet)
 {
-    BIO *in = NULL; /* leads to empty config in case filename == "" */
+    BIO *in;
     CONF *conf;
 
-    if (*filename != '\0'
-        && (in = bio_open_default_(filename, 'r', FORMAT_TEXT, quiet)) == NULL)
-        return NULL;
-    conf = app_load_config_bio(in, filename);
-    BIO_free(in);
+    if (filename == NULL || *filename != '\0') {
+        if ((in = bio_open_default_(filename, 'r', FORMAT_TEXT, quiet)) == NULL)
+            return NULL;
+        conf = app_load_config_bio(in, filename);
+        BIO_free(in);
+    } else {
+        /* Return empty config if filename is empty string. */
+        conf = NCONF_new_ex(app_libctx, NULL);
+    }
     return conf;
 }