diff --git a/src/classes/column.js b/src/classes/column.js
index c9bfb1fcdd..502adf17dd 100644
--- a/src/classes/column.js
+++ b/src/classes/column.js
@@ -12,7 +12,10 @@
     self.maxWidth = !colDef.maxWidth ? 9000 : colDef.maxWidth;
 	self.enableCellEdit = config.enableCellEdit || colDef.enableCellEdit;
     self.headerRowHeight = config.headerRowHeight;
-    self.displayName = colDef.displayName || colDef.field;
+
+    // Use colDef.displayName as long as it's not undefined, otherwise default to the field name
+    self.displayName = (colDef.displayName === undefined) ? colDef.field : colDef.displayName;
+
     self.index = config.index;
     self.isAggCol = config.isAggCol;
     self.cellClass = colDef.cellClass;
diff --git a/test/unit/directivesSpec.js b/test/unit/directivesSpec.js
index 9b4205de63..b49283478e 100644
--- a/test/unit/directivesSpec.js
+++ b/test/unit/directivesSpec.js
@@ -88,8 +88,38 @@ describe('directives', function () {
                 });
             });
             describe('column', function () {
-                it('should do something', function () {
-                    //add work here
+                beforeEach(inject(function ($rootScope, $domUtilityService, $templateCache, $compile) {
+                    $scope = $rootScope.$new();
+                    $dUtils = $domUtilityService;
+                    $linker = $compile;
+                    $cache = $templateCache;
+
+                    elm = angular.element(
+                        '<div ng-grid="gridOptions" style="width: 1000px; height: 1000px"></div>'
+                    );
+                    scope = $rootScope;
+                    scope.myData = [{name: "Moroni", age: 50},
+                                  {name: "Tiancum", age: 43},
+                                  {name: "Jacob", age: 27},
+                                  {name: "Nephi", age: 29},
+                                  {name: "Enos", age: 34}];
+                    scope.gridOptions = {
+                        data: 'myData',
+                        columnDefs: [
+                            { field : 'name' },
+                            { field : 'age', displayName: '' },
+                        ]
+                    };
+                    $compile(elm)(scope);
+                    scope.$digest();
+                }));
+
+                it('should default to the field name when displayName is undefined', function() {
+                    expect(elm.find('.ngHeaderText:eq(0)').text()).toEqual('name');
+                });
+
+                it('should not default to the column field name when the displayName is an empty string', function () {
+                    expect(elm.find('.ngHeaderText:eq(1)').text()).toEqual('');
                 });
             });
             describe('domAccessProvider', function () {