diff --git a/custom_components/nvidia_shield/media_player.py b/custom_components/nvidia_shield/media_player.py
index d1a0a85..3bfa0fc 100644
--- a/custom_components/nvidia_shield/media_player.py
+++ b/custom_components/nvidia_shield/media_player.py
@@ -729,8 +729,15 @@ class NvidiaShieldMediaPlayer(MediaPlayerEntity):
 
         Directory order (the user's map order, or the curated list), so rebuilding
         the page does not shuffle it.
+
+        A blank or whitespace-only name is dropped (t49): the apps map is hand-editable
+        (``com.x=``), and an empty entry would sit in the dropdown as something to pick
+        that select_source then rejects as an unknown source — an option that can only
+        fail. The VALUES themselves are untouched, so for a well-formed map the list
+        stays byte-equal to the Browse tree's child titles (same accessor, same order);
+        names are never rewritten here, because the reverse lookup matches on them.
         """
-        return [str(name) for name in self._app_directory.values()]
+        return [str(name) for name in self._app_directory.values() if str(name).strip()]
 
     @property
     def source(self) -> str | None:
diff --git a/tests/test_media_sources.py b/tests/test_media_sources.py
index 176cffd..02ae3ad 100644
--- a/tests/test_media_sources.py
+++ b/tests/test_media_sources.py
@@ -59,6 +59,54 @@ class TestSourceList:
 
         assert player.source_list == ["TiviMate", "Wholphin", "Netflix", "YouTube"]
 
+    def test_a_blank_name_never_reaches_the_dropdown(self, modules):
+        """t49: the map is hand-editable, so 'com.x=' must not offer an empty entry.
+
+        An empty entry is worst than useless: it is a dropdown item that
+        select_source has to reject as an unknown source.
+        """
+        player, _served = _player(
+            modules,
+            app_map={
+                "com.blank": "",
+                TIVIMATE: "TiviMate",
+                "com.spaces": "   ",
+                "com.netflix.ninja": "Netflix",
+            },
+        )
+
+        assert player.source_list == ["TiviMate", "Netflix"]
+        assert "" not in player.source_list
+
+    async def test_the_list_matches_the_browse_titles_exactly(self, modules):
+        """Same accessor, same order, same bytes — a blank entry excepted (t49)."""
+        for app_map in (
+            None,  # the curated default
+            {"ar.tvplayer.tv": "TiviMate", "com.netflix.ninja": "Netflix"},
+        ):
+            player, _served = _player(modules, app_map=app_map)
+
+            root = await player.async_browse_media()
+
+            assert player.source_list == [child.title for child in root.children]
+
+    async def test_the_survivors_still_resolve_and_launch(self, modules):
+        """The filter must not cost a resolvable name (t49)."""
+        player, _served = _player(
+            modules,
+            app_map={"com.blank": "", TIVIMATE: "TiviMate", "com.blank2": "  "},
+        )
+
+        for name in player.source_list:
+            assert player._source_package(name) is not None
+
+        await player.async_select_source("TiviMate")
+
+        assert player._manager._protocol.launch_calls == [TIVIMATE]
+        # the blank entries are not selectable, and never launch
+        assert player._source_package("") is None
+        assert player._source_package("   ") is None
+
     def test_every_offered_name_resolves_to_a_package(self, modules):
         """The invariant the shared directory buys: no name without a destination."""
         for app_map in (None, {"com.custom.one": "One"}):
diff --git a/tests/test_standalone_setup.py b/tests/test_standalone_setup.py
index a384f48..47bc795 100644
--- a/tests/test_standalone_setup.py
+++ b/tests/test_standalone_setup.py
@@ -545,6 +545,31 @@ class TestAppIconColumn:
         assert result["type"] == "form"
         assert result["errors"] == {"base": "invalid_app_map"}
 
+    async def test_a_nameless_row_is_rejected_by_the_editor(self, tmp_path):
+        """t49: the editor already refuses 'com.x=' — a blank name cannot get in.
+
+        The source list filters blanks anyway, because the map can also be
+        hand-edited; this pins the other half: the page will not STORE one.
+        """
+        module = _form_module()
+
+        assert module._app_map_from_text("com.blank=", {}) is None
+        assert module._app_map_from_text("com.blank=   ", {}) is None
+
+        flow = module.NvidiaShieldOptionsFlow()
+        flow.config_entry = SimpleNamespace(options={}, title="Shield")
+        flow.hass = FakeHass(str(tmp_path))
+        flow.async_show_form = lambda **kwargs: {"type": "form", **kwargs}
+        flow.async_create_entry = lambda **kwargs: {"type": "create_entry", **kwargs}
+
+        result = await flow.async_step_init(
+            {"app_name_map": "com.blank=\ncom.netflix.ninja=Netflix"}
+        )
+
+        assert result["type"] == "form"
+        assert result["errors"] == {"base": "invalid_app_map"}
+        assert "app_name_map" not in flow._options  # nothing half-stored
+
 
 class TestChannelEntryOptions:
     """P5-2: digit-delay + optional send-enter on the options page."""