diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,4 +1,9 @@
 ## MASTER
+## Dotenv 0.8.0.0
+* Add `Configuration.Dotenv.Environment` module exporting functions from `System.Environment`,
+  `System.Environment.Compat`, or `System.Environment.Blank`, depending on `base` version.
+* Add support for blank environment variables for `base` >= 4.11.0.0.
+
 ## Dotenv 0.7.0.0
 * Hide helper modules in other-modules
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -40,24 +40,11 @@
 ```
 
 After calling `Dotenv.load`, you are able to read the values set in your
-environment using standard functions from `System.Environment` such as
-`lookupEnv` and `getEnv`.
-
-### NOTE: Empty environment variables
-
-If you need to have empty environment variables in your configuration, you can
-use something like the code below:
-
-```haskell
-fromMaybe "" <$> lookupEnv "ENV_VAR"
-```
+environment using standard functions from `System.Environment` or
+`System.Environment.Blank` (`base` >= 4.11.0.0), such as `getEnv`.
 
-Currently, `dotenv-hs` doesn't allow you to set empty environment variables,
-because of [setEnv](https://hackage.haskell.org/package/base-4.9.1.0/docs/System-Environment.html#v:setEnv)
-from our `System.Environment`. This is bug reported in [GHC ticket](https://ghc.haskell.org/trac/ghc/ticket/12494).
-We have had many [dicussions](https://github.com/stackbuilders/dotenv-hs/issues/48)
-about this. Fortunately, there is already some work for this issue in
-[GHC Phabricator](https://phabricator.haskell.org/D3726).
+If your version of `base` is < 4.11.0.0, then setting an environment variable value to
+a blank string will remove the variable from the environment entirely.
 
 ### Variable substitution
 
diff --git a/dotenv.cabal b/dotenv.cabal
--- a/dotenv.cabal
+++ b/dotenv.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 name:                dotenv
-version:             0.7.0.0
+version:             0.8.0.0
 synopsis:            Loads environment variables from dotenv files
 homepage:            https://github.com/stackbuilders/dotenv-hs
 description:
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@
 
 library
   exposed-modules:      Configuration.Dotenv
+                      , Configuration.Dotenv.Environment
   other-modules:        Configuration.Dotenv.Parse
                       , Configuration.Dotenv.ParsedVariable
                       , Configuration.Dotenv.Text
@@ -117,6 +118,7 @@
                        , Configuration.Dotenv.TextSpec
                        , Configuration.Dotenv.ParseSpec
                        , Configuration.Dotenv
+                       , Configuration.Dotenv.Environment
                        , Configuration.Dotenv.Text
                        , Configuration.Dotenv.Types
                        , Configuration.Dotenv.Parse
diff --git a/spec/Configuration/Dotenv/TextSpec.hs b/spec/Configuration/Dotenv/TextSpec.hs
--- a/spec/Configuration/Dotenv/TextSpec.hs
+++ b/spec/Configuration/Dotenv/TextSpec.hs
@@ -1,20 +1,12 @@
-{-# LANGUAGE CPP #-}
-
 module Configuration.Dotenv.TextSpec (main, spec) where
 
 import Configuration.Dotenv.Text (parseFile)
+import Configuration.Dotenv.Environment (lookupEnv, unsetEnv)
 
 import Test.Hspec
 
 import Control.Monad (liftM)
-import System.Environment (lookupEnv)
 import qualified Data.Text as T
-
-#if MIN_VERSION_base(4,7,0)
-import System.Environment (unsetEnv)
-#else
-import System.Environment.Compat (unsetEnv)
-#endif
 
 {-# ANN module ("HLint: ignore Reduce duplication" :: String) #-}
 
diff --git a/spec/Configuration/DotenvSpec.hs b/spec/Configuration/DotenvSpec.hs
--- a/spec/Configuration/DotenvSpec.hs
+++ b/spec/Configuration/DotenvSpec.hs
@@ -4,6 +4,12 @@
 module Configuration.DotenvSpec (main, spec) where
 
 import Configuration.Dotenv.Types (Config(..))
+import Configuration.Dotenv.Environment
+  ( getEnvironment
+  , lookupEnv
+  , setEnv
+  , unsetEnv
+  )
 import Configuration.Dotenv
   ( load
   , loadFile
@@ -16,7 +22,6 @@
 import Test.Hspec
 
 import System.Process (readCreateProcess, shell)
-import System.Environment (lookupEnv)
 import Control.Monad (liftM, void)
 import Data.Maybe (fromMaybe)
 import qualified Data.Text as T
@@ -29,12 +34,6 @@
 import Control.Applicative ((<$))
 #endif
 
-#if MIN_VERSION_base(4,7,0)
-import System.Environment (getEnvironment, setEnv, unsetEnv)
-#else
-import System.Environment.Compat (getEnvironment, setEnv, unsetEnv)
-#endif
-
 main :: IO ()
 main = hspec spec
 
@@ -173,6 +172,12 @@
       me <- init <$> readCreateProcess (shell "whoami") ""
       liftM (!! 4) (parseFile "spec/fixtures/.dotenv") `shouldReturn`
         ("ME", me)
+
+#if MIN_VERSION_base(4,11,0)
+    it "recognizes blank variable" $
+      liftM (!! 5) (parseFile "spec/fixtures/.dotenv") `shouldReturn`
+        ("BLANK", "")
+#endif
 
   describe "onMissingFile" $ after_ clearEnvs $ do
     context "when target file is present" $
diff --git a/spec/fixtures/.dotenv b/spec/fixtures/.dotenv
--- a/spec/fixtures/.dotenv
+++ b/spec/fixtures/.dotenv
@@ -3,3 +3,4 @@
 ENVIRONMENT="$HOME"
 PREVIOUS="$DOTENV"
 ME="$(whoami)"
+BLANK=
diff --git a/src/Configuration/Dotenv.hs b/src/Configuration/Dotenv.hs
--- a/src/Configuration/Dotenv.hs
+++ b/src/Configuration/Dotenv.hs
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@
 --
 -- This module contains common functions to load and read dotenv files.
 
-{-# LANGUAGE CPP             #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE RecordWildCards #-}
 
 module Configuration.Dotenv
@@ -33,19 +32,13 @@
 import Configuration.Dotenv.Scheme
 import Configuration.Dotenv.Scheme.Types (ValidatorMap, defaultValidatorMap)
 import Configuration.Dotenv.Types (Config(..), defaultConfig)
+import Configuration.Dotenv.Environment (getEnvironment, lookupEnv, setEnv)
 import Control.Monad.Catch
 import Control.Monad.IO.Class (MonadIO(..))
 import Data.List (union, intersectBy, unionBy)
 import System.Directory (doesFileExist)
-import System.Environment (lookupEnv)
 import System.IO.Error (isDoesNotExistError)
 import Text.Megaparsec (parse, errorBundlePretty)
-
-#if MIN_VERSION_base(4,7,0)
-import System.Environment (getEnvironment, setEnv)
-#else
-import System.Environment.Compat (getEnvironment, setEnv)
-#endif
 
 -- | Loads the given list of options into the environment. Optionally
 -- override existing variables with values from Dotenv files.
diff --git a/src/Configuration/Dotenv/Environment.hs b/src/Configuration/Dotenv/Environment.hs
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Configuration/Dotenv/Environment.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+{-# LANGUAGE CPP #-}
+
+module Configuration.Dotenv.Environment
+  ( getEnvironment
+  , lookupEnv
+  , setEnv
+  , unsetEnv
+  ) where
+
+#if MIN_VERSION_base(4,11,0)
+import System.Environment.Blank (getEnvironment, unsetEnv)
+import qualified System.Environment.Blank as Blank
+#else
+#if MIN_VERSION_base(4,7,0)
+import System.Environment (getEnvironment, setEnv, unsetEnv)
+#else
+import System.Environment.Compat (getEnvironment, setEnv, unsetEnv)
+#endif
+#endif
+
+#if MIN_VERSION_base(4,11,0)
+import System.Environment.Blank (getEnv)
+#else
+import System.Environment (lookupEnv)
+#endif
+
+#if MIN_VERSION_base(4,11,0)
+lookupEnv :: String -> IO (Maybe String)
+lookupEnv = getEnv
+
+setEnv :: String -> String -> IO ()
+setEnv name value = Blank.setEnv name value True
+#endif
diff --git a/src/Configuration/Dotenv/ParsedVariable.hs b/src/Configuration/Dotenv/ParsedVariable.hs
--- a/src/Configuration/Dotenv/ParsedVariable.hs
+++ b/src/Configuration/Dotenv/ParsedVariable.hs
@@ -19,11 +19,11 @@
                                             interpolateParsedVariables) where
 
 import Control.Monad (foldM)
+import Configuration.Dotenv.Environment (lookupEnv)
 #if !MIN_VERSION_base(4,8,0)
 import Data.Functor ((<$>))
 #endif
 import Control.Applicative ((<|>))
-import System.Environment (lookupEnv)
 import System.Process (readCreateProcess, shell)
 
 data ParsedVariable