diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 8c371588..16859d06 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -864,6 +864,49 @@ dependencies = [
  "libc",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "futures-core"
+version = "0.3.31"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "05f29059c0c2090612e8d742178b0580d2dc940c837851ad723096f87af6663e"
+
+[[package]]
+name = "futures-macro"
+version = "0.3.31"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "162ee34ebcb7c64a8abebc059ce0fee27c2262618d7b60ed8faf72fef13c3650"
+dependencies = [
+ "proc-macro2",
+ "quote",
+ "syn",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "futures-task"
+version = "0.3.31"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "f90f7dce0722e95104fcb095585910c0977252f286e354b5e3bd38902cd99988"
+
+[[package]]
+name = "futures-timer"
+version = "3.0.3"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "f288b0a4f20f9a56b5d1da57e2227c661b7b16168e2f72365f57b63326e29b24"
+
+[[package]]
+name = "futures-util"
+version = "0.3.31"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "9fa08315bb612088cc391249efdc3bc77536f16c91f6cf495e6fbe85b20a4a81"
+dependencies = [
+ "futures-core",
+ "futures-macro",
+ "futures-task",
+ "pin-project-lite",
+ "pin-utils",
+ "slab",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "generic-array"
 version = "0.14.7"
@@ -979,7 +1022,7 @@ checksum = "7f24254aa9a54b5c858eaee2f5bccdb46aaf0e486a595ed5fd8f86ba55232a70"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "hl"
-version = "0.31.0-alpha.3"
+version = "0.31.0-alpha.4"
 dependencies = [
  "bincode",
  "byte-strings",
@@ -1029,6 +1072,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "pest",
  "pest_derive",
  "regex",
+ "rstest",
  "rust-embed",
  "serde",
  "serde-logfmt",
@@ -1532,6 +1576,18 @@ dependencies = [
  "siphasher",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "pin-project-lite"
+version = "0.2.16"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "3b3cff922bd51709b605d9ead9aa71031d81447142d828eb4a6eba76fe619f9b"
+
+[[package]]
+name = "pin-utils"
+version = "0.1.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "8b870d8c151b6f2fb93e84a13146138f05d02ed11c7e7c54f8826aaaf7c9f184"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "pkg-config"
 version = "0.3.31"
@@ -1592,6 +1648,15 @@ dependencies = [
  "termtree",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "proc-macro-crate"
+version = "3.2.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "8ecf48c7ca261d60b74ab1a7b20da18bede46776b2e55535cb958eb595c5fa7b"
+dependencies = [
+ "toml_edit",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "proc-macro2"
 version = "1.0.93"
@@ -1694,6 +1759,12 @@ version = "0.8.5"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "2b15c43186be67a4fd63bee50d0303afffcef381492ebe2c5d87f324e1b8815c"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "relative-path"
+version = "1.9.3"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "ba39f3699c378cd8970968dcbff9c43159ea4cfbd88d43c00b22f2ef10a435d2"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "roff"
 version = "0.2.2"
@@ -1712,6 +1783,36 @@ dependencies = [
  "serde_derive",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "rstest"
+version = "0.24.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "03e905296805ab93e13c1ec3a03f4b6c4f35e9498a3d5fa96dc626d22c03cd89"
+dependencies = [
+ "futures-timer",
+ "futures-util",
+ "rstest_macros",
+ "rustc_version",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "rstest_macros"
+version = "0.24.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "ef0053bbffce09062bee4bcc499b0fbe7a57b879f1efe088d6d8d4c7adcdef9b"
+dependencies = [
+ "cfg-if",
+ "glob",
+ "proc-macro-crate",
+ "proc-macro2",
+ "quote",
+ "regex",
+ "relative-path",
+ "rustc_version",
+ "syn",
+ "unicode-ident",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "rust-embed"
 version = "8.5.0"
@@ -1757,6 +1858,15 @@ dependencies = [
  "trim-in-place",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "rustc_version"
+version = "0.4.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "cfcb3a22ef46e85b45de6ee7e79d063319ebb6594faafcf1c225ea92ab6e9b92"
+dependencies = [
+ "semver",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "rustix"
 version = "0.38.43"
@@ -1791,6 +1901,12 @@ dependencies = [
  "winapi-util",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "semver"
+version = "1.0.25"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "f79dfe2d285b0488816f30e700a7438c5a73d816b5b7d3ac72fbc48b0d185e03"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "serde"
 version = "1.0.217"
@@ -1802,7 +1918,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "serde-logfmt"
-version = "0.1.0"
+version = "0.1.1"
 dependencies = [
  "serde",
 ]
@@ -1906,6 +2022,15 @@ version = "1.0.1"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "56199f7ddabf13fe5074ce809e7d3f42b42ae711800501b5b16ea82ad029c39d"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "slab"
+version = "0.4.9"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "8f92a496fb766b417c996b9c5e57daf2f7ad3b0bebe1ccfca4856390e3d3bb67"
+dependencies = [
+ "autocfg",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "snap"
 version = "1.1.1"
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index b450842f..fcef3603 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ members = [".", "crate/encstr", "crate/heapopt"]
 [workspace.package]
 repository = "https://github.com/pamburus/hl"
 authors = ["Pavel Ivanov <mr.pavel.ivanov@gmail.com>"]
-version = "0.31.0-alpha.3"
+version = "0.31.0-alpha.4"
 edition = "2021"
 license = "MIT"
 
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ mockall = "0"
 stats_alloc = "0"
 regex = "1"
 wildmatch = "2"
+rstest = "0"
 
 [profile.release]
 debug = false
diff --git a/crate/serde-logfmt/Cargo.toml b/crate/serde-logfmt/Cargo.toml
index 570d75a7..d888fa1a 100644
--- a/crate/serde-logfmt/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crate/serde-logfmt/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 [package]
 description = "Logfmt decoding based on serde"
 name = "serde-logfmt"
-version = "0.1.0"
+version = "0.1.1"
 workspace = "../.."
 repository.workspace = true
 edition.workspace = true
diff --git a/crate/serde-logfmt/src/logfmt/de.rs b/crate/serde-logfmt/src/logfmt/de.rs
index 156b5bba..b23ed293 100644
--- a/crate/serde-logfmt/src/logfmt/de.rs
+++ b/crate/serde-logfmt/src/logfmt/de.rs
@@ -540,8 +540,6 @@ impl<'de> Parser<'de> {
     }
 
     fn parse_unquoted_value(&mut self) -> Result<&'de str> {
-        self.skip_garbage();
-
         let start = self.index;
         let mut unicode = false;
 
@@ -1027,4 +1025,24 @@ mod tests {
         let val: TestStruct = from_str("v=B").unwrap();
         assert_eq!(val, TestStruct { v: TestEnum::B });
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_empty_value() {
+        #[derive(Deserialize, PartialEq, Debug)]
+        struct Test {
+            int: u32,
+            str1: String,
+            str2: String,
+            str3: String,
+        }
+
+        let j = r#"int=0 str1="" str2= str3="#;
+        let expected = Test {
+            int: 0,
+            str1: "".to_string(),
+            str2: "".to_string(),
+            str3: "".to_string(),
+        };
+        assert_eq!(expected, from_str(j).unwrap());
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/model.rs b/src/model.rs
index 13501b89..f457e125 100644
--- a/src/model.rs
+++ b/src/model.rs
@@ -371,6 +371,7 @@ pub trait RecordWithSourceConstructor<'r, 's> {
 
 // ---
 
+#[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, Eq, PartialEq)]
 pub enum Caller<'a> {
     Text(&'a str),
     FileLine(&'a str, &'a str),
@@ -737,10 +738,18 @@ impl FieldSettings {
         match *self {
             Self::Time => {
                 let s = value.raw_str();
-                let s = if s.as_bytes()[0] == b'"' { &s[1..s.len() - 1] } else { s };
-                let ts = Timestamp::new(s).with_unix_unit(ps.unix_ts_unit);
-                to.ts = Some(ts);
-                true
+                let s = if s.len() > 0 && s.as_bytes()[0] == b'"' {
+                    &s[1..s.len() - 1]
+                } else {
+                    s
+                };
+                if !s.is_empty() {
+                    let ts = Timestamp::new(s).with_unix_unit(ps.unix_ts_unit);
+                    to.ts = Some(ts);
+                    true
+                } else {
+                    false
+                }
             }
             Self::Level(i) => {
                 let value = value.parse().ok().unwrap_or_else(|| value.raw_str());
@@ -753,7 +762,7 @@ impl FieldSettings {
                 }
             }
             Self::Logger => {
-                to.logger = value.parse().ok();
+                to.logger = value.parse::<&str>().ok().filter(|s| !s.is_empty());
                 true
             }
             Self::Message => {
@@ -761,16 +770,24 @@ impl FieldSettings {
                 true
             }
             Self::Caller => {
-                to.caller = value.parse().ok().map(|x| Caller::Text(x));
+                to.caller = value
+                    .parse::<&str>()
+                    .ok()
+                    .filter(|x| !x.is_empty())
+                    .map(|x| Caller::Text(x));
                 true
             }
             Self::CallerFile => match &mut to.caller {
                 None => {
-                    to.caller = value.parse().ok().map(|x| Caller::FileLine(x, ""));
+                    to.caller = value
+                        .parse::<&str>()
+                        .ok()
+                        .filter(|x| !x.is_empty())
+                        .map(|x| Caller::FileLine(x, ""));
                     to.caller.is_some()
                 }
                 Some(Caller::FileLine(file, _)) => {
-                    if let Some(value) = value.parse().ok() {
+                    if let Some(value) = value.parse::<&str>().ok().filter(|x| !x.is_empty()) {
                         *file = value;
                         true
                     } else {
@@ -779,28 +796,26 @@ impl FieldSettings {
                 }
                 _ => false,
             },
-            Self::CallerLine => match &mut to.caller {
-                None => {
-                    to.caller = Some(Caller::FileLine("", value.raw_str()));
-                    true
-                }
-                Some(Caller::FileLine(_, line)) => match value {
-                    RawValue::Number(value) => {
-                        *line = value;
-                        true
-                    }
+            Self::CallerLine => {
+                let value = match value {
+                    RawValue::Number(value) => value,
                     RawValue::String(_) => {
-                        if let Some(value) = value.parse().ok() {
-                            *line = value;
-                            true
+                        if let Some(value) = value.parse::<&str>().ok().filter(|x| !x.is_empty()) {
+                            value
                         } else {
-                            false
+                            return false;
                         }
                     }
-                    _ => false,
-                },
-                _ => false,
-            },
+                    _ => return false,
+                };
+
+                match &mut to.caller {
+                    None => to.caller = Some(Caller::FileLine("", value)),
+                    Some(Caller::FileLine(_, line)) => *line = value,
+                    Some(Caller::Text(_)) => return false,
+                }
+                true
+            }
             Self::Nested(_) => false,
         }
     }
@@ -1749,6 +1764,7 @@ const RAW_RECORD_FIELDS_CAPACITY: usize = RECORD_EXTRA_CAPACITY + MAX_PREDEFINED
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
+    use rstest::rstest;
 
     use chrono::TimeZone;
     use maplit::hashmap;
@@ -2264,8 +2280,10 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(matches!(result, Err(Error::JsonParseError(_))));
     }
 
-    #[test]
-    fn test_nested_predefined_fields() {
+    #[rstest]
+    #[case(br#"{"some":{"deep":{"message":"test"}}}"#, Some(r#""test""#))]
+    #[case(br#"{"some":{"deep":[{"message":"test"}]}}"#, None)]
+    fn test_nested_predefined_fields(#[case] input: &[u8], #[case] expected: Option<&str>) {
         let predefined = PredefinedFields {
             message: Field {
                 names: vec!["some.deep.message".into()],
@@ -2277,16 +2295,113 @@ mod tests {
         let settings = ParserSettings::new(&predefined, [], None);
         let parser = Parser::new(settings);
 
-        let cases: &[(&[u8], Option<&str>)] = &[
-            (br#"{"some":{"deep":{"message":"test"}}}"#, Some(r#""test""#)),
-            (br#"{"some":{"deep":[{"message":"test"}]}}"#, None),
-        ];
+        let record = RawRecord::parser().parse(input).next().unwrap().unwrap();
+        let record = parser.parse(&record.record);
+        assert_eq!(record.message.map(|x| x.raw_str()), expected);
+    }
 
-        for (input, expected) in cases.iter() {
-            let record = RawRecord::parser().parse(*input).next().unwrap().unwrap();
-            let record = parser.parse(&record.record);
-            assert_eq!(record.message.map(|x| x.raw_str()), *expected);
+    #[rstest]
+    #[case(br#"{"ts":""}"#, None)]
+    #[case(br#"{"ts":"3"}"#, Some("3"))]
+    #[case(br#"ts="""#, None)]
+    #[case(br#"ts="#, None)]
+    #[case(br#"ts=1"#, Some("1"))]
+    #[case(br#"ts="2""#, Some("2"))]
+    fn test_timestamp(#[case] input: &[u8], #[case] expected: Option<&str>) {
+        let parser = Parser::new(ParserSettings::default());
+        let record = RawRecord::parser().parse(input).next().unwrap().unwrap();
+        let record = parser.parse(&record.record);
+        assert_eq!(record.ts.map(|x| x.raw()), expected);
+    }
+
+    #[rstest]
+    #[case(br#"{"level":""}"#, None)]
+    #[case(br#"{"level":"info"}"#, Some(Level::Info))]
+    #[case(br#"level="""#, None)]
+    #[case(br#"level="#, None)]
+    #[case(br#"level=info"#, Some(Level::Info))]
+    #[case(br#"level="info""#, Some(Level::Info))]
+    fn test_level(#[case] input: &[u8], #[case] expected: Option<Level>) {
+        let parser = Parser::new(ParserSettings::default());
+        let record = RawRecord::parser().parse(input).next().unwrap().unwrap();
+        let record = parser.parse(&record.record);
+        assert_eq!(record.level, expected);
+    }
+
+    #[rstest]
+    #[case(br#"{"logger":""}"#, None)]
+    #[case(br#"{"logger":"x"}"#, Some("x"))]
+    #[case(br#"logger="""#, None)]
+    #[case(br#"logger="#, None)]
+    #[case(br#"logger=x"#, Some("x"))]
+    #[case(br#"logger="x""#, Some("x"))]
+    fn test_logger(#[case] input: &[u8], #[case] expected: Option<&str>) {
+        let parser = Parser::new(ParserSettings::default());
+        let record = RawRecord::parser().parse(input).next().unwrap().unwrap();
+        let record = parser.parse(&record.record);
+        assert_eq!(record.logger, expected);
+    }
+
+    #[rstest]
+    #[case(br#"{"caller":""}"#, None)]
+    #[case(br#"{"caller":"x"}"#, Some(Caller::Text("x")))]
+    #[case(br#"caller="""#, None)]
+    #[case(br#"caller="#, None)]
+    #[case(br#"caller=x"#, Some(Caller::Text("x")))]
+    #[case(br#"caller="x""#, Some(Caller::Text("x")))]
+    fn test_caller(#[case] input: &[u8], #[case] expected: Option<Caller>) {
+        let parser = Parser::new(ParserSettings::default());
+        let record = RawRecord::parser().parse(input).next().unwrap().unwrap();
+        let record = parser.parse(&record.record);
+        assert_eq!(record.caller, expected);
+    }
+
+    #[rstest]
+    #[case(br#"{"file":""}"#, None)] // 1
+    #[case(br#"{"file":"x"}"#, Some(Caller::FileLine("x", "")))] // 2
+    #[case(br#"file="""#, None)] // 3
+    #[case(br#"file="#, None)] // 4
+    #[case(br#"file=x"#, Some(Caller::FileLine("x", "")))] // 5
+    #[case(br#"file="x""#, Some(Caller::FileLine("x", "")))] // 6
+    #[case(br#"{"line":""}"#, None)] // 7
+    #[case(br#"{"line":"8"}"#, Some(Caller::FileLine("", "8")))] // 8
+    #[case(br#"line="""#, None)] // 9
+    #[case(br#"line="#, None)] // 10
+    #[case(br#"line=11"#, Some(Caller::FileLine("", "11")))] // 11
+    #[case(br#"line="12""#, Some(Caller::FileLine("", "12")))] // 12
+    #[case(br#"{"file":"","line":""}"#, None)] // 13
+    #[case(br#"{"file":"x","line":"14"}"#, Some(Caller::FileLine("x", "14")))] // 14
+    #[case(br#"file="" line="""#, None)] // 15
+    #[case(br#"file= line="#, None)] // 16
+    #[case(br#"file=x line=17"#, Some(Caller::FileLine("x", "17")))] // 17
+    #[case(br#"file="x" line="18""#, Some(Caller::FileLine("x", "18")))] // 18
+    #[case(br#"{"file":"","line":"19"}"#, Some(Caller::FileLine("", "19")))] // 19
+    #[case(br#"{"file":"x","line":""}"#, Some(Caller::FileLine("x", "")))] // 20
+    #[case(br#"file="" line="21""#, Some(Caller::FileLine("", "21")))] // 21
+    #[case(br#"file= line=22"#, Some(Caller::FileLine("", "22")))] // 22
+    #[case(br#"file=x line="#, Some(Caller::FileLine("x", "")))] // 23
+    #[case(br#"file="x" line="#, Some(Caller::FileLine("x", "")))] // 24
+    #[case(br#"file="x" line=21 line=25"#, Some(Caller::FileLine("x", "25")))] // 25
+    #[case(br#"file=x line=26 file=y"#, Some(Caller::FileLine("y", "26")))] // 26
+    #[case(br#"{"file":123, "file": {}, "line":27}"#, Some(Caller::FileLine("123", "27")))] // 27
+    #[case(br#"{"caller":"a", "file": "b", "line":28}"#, Some(Caller::Text("a")))] // 28
+    #[case(br#"{"file": "b", "line":{}}"#, Some(Caller::FileLine("b", "")))] // 29
+    fn test_caller_file_line(#[case] input: &[u8], #[case] expected: Option<Caller>) {
+        let mut predefined = PredefinedFields::default();
+        predefined.caller_file = Field {
+            names: vec!["file".into()],
+            show: FieldShowOption::Always,
+        }
+        .into();
+        predefined.caller_line = Field {
+            names: vec!["line".into()],
+            show: FieldShowOption::Always,
         }
+        .into();
+        let parser = Parser::new(ParserSettings::new(&predefined, [], None));
+        let record = RawRecord::parser().parse(input).next().unwrap().unwrap();
+        let record = parser.parse(&record.record);
+        assert_eq!(record.caller, expected);
     }
 
     fn parse(s: &str) -> Record {
diff --git a/src/settings.rs b/src/settings.rs
index 2025eec7..4cd92bd8 100644
--- a/src/settings.rs
+++ b/src/settings.rs
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ impl Default for &PredefinedFields {
 
 // ---
 
-#[derive(Debug, Serialize, Deserialize, Deref, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
+#[derive(Debug, Serialize, Deserialize, Deref, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, From)]
 pub struct TimeField(pub Field);
 
 impl Default for TimeField {