diff --git a/openapi_core/validation/validators.py b/openapi_core/validation/validators.py
index c962b1cb..dd8bc008 100644
--- a/openapi_core/validation/validators.py
+++ b/openapi_core/validation/validators.py
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ def _get_simple_param_or_header(
                 "Use of allowEmptyValue property is deprecated",
                 DeprecationWarning,
             )
-        if allow_empty_values is None or not allow_empty_values:
+        if allow_empty_values is False:
             # if "in" not defined then it's a Header
             location_name = (param_or_header / "in").read_str("header")
             if (
diff --git a/tests/integration/test_empty_query_parameter.py b/tests/integration/test_empty_query_parameter.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2a73ebeb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/integration/test_empty_query_parameter.py
@@ -0,0 +1,109 @@
+from typing import Optional
+
+import pytest
+
+from openapi_core import OpenAPI
+from openapi_core.deserializing.styles.exceptions import (
+    EmptyQueryParameterValue,
+)
+from openapi_core.testing import MockRequest
+from openapi_core.validation.request.exceptions import InvalidParameter
+from openapi_core.validation.request.exceptions import ParameterValidationError
+from openapi_core.validation.schemas.exceptions import InvalidSchemaValue
+
+OPENAPI_VERSIONS = ["3.0.4", "3.1.1", "3.2.0"]
+
+
+def make_openapi(openapi_version, schema, **parameter_options):
+    return OpenAPI.from_dict(
+        {
+            "openapi": openapi_version,
+            "info": {"title": "Empty query parameter", "version": "1.0.0"},
+            "paths": {
+                "/api": {
+                    "get": {
+                        "parameters": [
+                            {
+                                "name": "status",
+                                "in": "query",
+                                "schema": schema,
+                                **parameter_options,
+                            }
+                        ],
+                        "responses": {"200": {"description": "OK"}},
+                    }
+                }
+            },
+        }
+    )
+
+
+def make_request(value: Optional[str] = ""):
+    args = {} if value is None else {"status": value}
+    return MockRequest("http://localhost", "get", "/api", args=args)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("openapi_version", OPENAPI_VERSIONS)
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "schema", [{"enum": ["Active", ""]}, {"type": "string"}]
+)
+def test_empty_query_parameter_allowed_by_schema(openapi_version, schema):
+    openapi = make_openapi(openapi_version, schema)
+    request = make_request()
+
+    assert list(openapi.iter_request_errors(request)) == []
+    result = openapi.unmarshal_request(request)
+    assert result.errors == []
+    assert result.parameters.query == {"status": ""}
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("openapi_version", OPENAPI_VERSIONS)
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "schema", [{"enum": ["Active"]}, {"type": "string", "minLength": 1}]
+)
+def test_empty_query_parameter_rejected_by_schema(openapi_version, schema):
+    openapi = make_openapi(openapi_version, schema)
+    request = make_request()
+
+    validation_errors = list(openapi.iter_request_errors(request))
+    assert len(validation_errors) == 1
+    assert type(validation_errors[0]) is InvalidParameter
+    assert type(validation_errors[0].__cause__) is InvalidSchemaValue
+
+    result = openapi.unmarshal_request(request)
+    errors = list(result.errors)
+    assert len(errors) == 1
+    assert type(errors[0]) is InvalidParameter
+    assert type(errors[0].__cause__) is InvalidSchemaValue
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("openapi_version", OPENAPI_VERSIONS)
+def test_allow_empty_value_false_preserves_legacy_error(openapi_version):
+    openapi = make_openapi(
+        openapi_version, {"enum": ["Active", ""]}, allowEmptyValue=False
+    )
+    request = make_request()
+
+    with pytest.warns(DeprecationWarning, match="allowEmptyValue"):
+        validation_errors = list(openapi.iter_request_errors(request))
+    assert len(validation_errors) == 1
+    assert type(validation_errors[0]) is ParameterValidationError
+    assert type(validation_errors[0].__cause__) is EmptyQueryParameterValue
+
+    with pytest.warns(DeprecationWarning, match="allowEmptyValue"):
+        result = openapi.unmarshal_request(request)
+    errors = list(result.errors)
+    assert len(errors) == 1
+    assert type(errors[0]) is ParameterValidationError
+    assert type(errors[0].__cause__) is EmptyQueryParameterValue
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("openapi_version", OPENAPI_VERSIONS)
+def test_missing_query_parameter_remains_omitted(openapi_version):
+    openapi = make_openapi(openapi_version, {"type": "string"})
+    request = make_request(None)
+
+    assert list(openapi.iter_request_errors(request)) == []
+    result = openapi.unmarshal_request(request)
+    assert result.errors == []
+    assert result.parameters.query == {}
diff --git a/tests/integration/test_petstore.py b/tests/integration/test_petstore.py
index d122ba49..8407a192 100644
--- a/tests/integration/test_petstore.py
+++ b/tests/integration/test_petstore.py
@@ -14,9 +14,6 @@
 from openapi_core import validate_response
 from openapi_core.casting.schemas.exceptions import CastError
 from openapi_core.datatypes import Parameters
-from openapi_core.deserializing.styles.exceptions import (
-    EmptyQueryParameterValue,
-)
 from openapi_core.templating.media_types.exceptions import MediaTypeNotFound
 from openapi_core.templating.paths.exceptions import ServerNotFound
 from openapi_core.templating.security.exceptions import SecurityNotFound
@@ -548,7 +545,7 @@ def test_get_pets_raises_missing_required_param(self, spec):
 
         assert result.body is None
 
-    def test_get_pets_empty_value(self, spec):
+    def test_get_pets_empty_value_allowed_by_schema(self, spec):
         host_url = "http://petstore.swagger.io/v1"
         path_pattern = "/v1/pets"
         query_params = {
@@ -571,13 +568,12 @@ def test_get_pets_empty_value(self, spec):
                 DeprecationWarning,
                 match="Use of allowEmptyValue property is deprecated",
             ):
-                with pytest.raises(ParameterValidationError) as exc_info:
-                    validate_request(
-                        request,
-                        spec=spec,
-                        cls=V30RequestParametersValidator,
-                    )
-        assert type(exc_info.value.__cause__) is EmptyQueryParameterValue
+                result = validate_request(
+                    request,
+                    spec=spec,
+                    cls=V30RequestParametersValidator,
+                )
+        assert result is None
 
         result = unmarshal_request(
             request, spec=spec, cls=V30RequestBodyUnmarshaller