diff --git a/parser/main_test.go b/parser/main_test.go
index 403bb10..70d8202 100644
--- a/parser/main_test.go
+++ b/parser/main_test.go
@@ -38,3 +38,32 @@ func TestParseRecipe_Golden(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("JSON mismatch (-want +got):\n%s", diff)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestParseRecipe_NoDescription(t *testing.T) {
+	td := filepath.Join("testdata", "recipe_no_description")
+	input := filepath.Join(td, "input.md")
+	output := filepath.Join(td, "output.json")
+
+	inputContent, err := os.ReadFile(input)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("read input.md: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	got, err := parser.ParseFile(string(inputContent))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("ParseFile: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	var want map[string]any
+	b, err := os.ReadFile(output)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("read expected.json: %v", err)
+	}
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(b, &want); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unmarshal expected.json: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if diff := cmp.Diff(want, got); diff != "" {
+		t.Fatalf("JSON mismatch (-want +got):\n%s", diff)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/parser/testdata/recipe_no_description/input.md b/parser/testdata/recipe_no_description/input.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..89f55c0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/parser/testdata/recipe_no_description/input.md
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+---
+@type: Recipe
+image: https://example.com/salad.jpg
+author.name: Alex Chef
+prepTime: PT10M
+cookTime: PT0M
+recipeYield: 2 servings
+---
+
+# Simple Salad
+
+## Ingredients
+- 100 g lettuce
+- 5 cherry tomatoes
+- 1 tbsp olive oil
+- Pinch of salt
+
+## Steps
+1. Wash and dry the lettuce.
+2. Halve the cherry tomatoes.
+3. Toss with olive oil and salt.
+
diff --git a/parser/testdata/recipe_no_description/output.json b/parser/testdata/recipe_no_description/output.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d67cc65
--- /dev/null
+++ b/parser/testdata/recipe_no_description/output.json
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+{
+  "@context": "https://schema.org",
+  "@type": "Recipe",
+  "name": "Simple Salad",
+  "image": "https://example.com/salad.jpg",
+  "author": {
+    "@type": "Person",
+    "name": "Alex Chef"
+  },
+  "prepTime": "PT10M",
+  "cookTime": "PT0M",
+  "recipeYield": "2 servings",
+  "recipeIngredient": [
+    "100 g lettuce",
+    "5 cherry tomatoes",
+    "1 tbsp olive oil",
+    "Pinch of salt"
+  ],
+  "recipeInstructions": [
+    "Wash and dry the lettuce.",
+    "Halve the cherry tomatoes.",
+    "Toss with olive oil and salt."
+  ]
+}
diff --git a/parser/utils/set_path_value.go b/parser/utils/set_path_value.go
index 2ebbae2..5900f1a 100644
--- a/parser/utils/set_path_value.go
+++ b/parser/utils/set_path_value.go
@@ -12,6 +12,11 @@ import (
 //   - when obj is a map  -> if value is a map[string]any, merge into obj; otherwise obj is unchanged.
 //   - otherwise          -> returns obj unchanged.
 func SetPathValue(path string, value any, obj any) any {
+	// check if value is empty string and if so continue
+	if value == "" || value == nil {
+		return obj
+	}
+
 	// Split and drop empty segments (so ".", "..", "" become no keys)
 	raw := strings.Split(path, ".")
 	keys := raw[:0]