diff --git a/framework/CHANGELOG.md b/framework/CHANGELOG.md
index 83c13aeafb..dbe63bc3ca 100644
--- a/framework/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/framework/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ Yii Framework 2 Change Log
 - Enh #9053: Added`yii\grid\RadioButtonColumn` (darwinisgod)
 - Enh #9162: Added support of closures in `value` for attributes in `yii\widgets\DetailView` (arogachev)
 - Enh #10896: Select only primary key when counting records in UniqueValidator (developeruz)
+- Enh #10970: Allow omit specifying empty default params on URL creation (rob006)
 - Enh #11037: `yii.js` and `yii.validation.js` use `Regexp.test()` instead of `String.match()` (arogachev, nkovacs)
 - Enh #11163: Added separate method for client-side validation options `yii\validators\Validator::getClientOptions()` (arogachev)
 - Enh #11697: Added `filterHaving()`, `andFilterHaving()` and `orFilterHaving()` to `yii\db\Query` (nicdnepr, samdark)
diff --git a/framework/web/UrlRule.php b/framework/web/UrlRule.php
index 4a193cbe93..ef065bd1bf 100644
--- a/framework/web/UrlRule.php
+++ b/framework/web/UrlRule.php
@@ -367,8 +367,15 @@ class UrlRule extends Object implements UrlRuleInterface
                 continue;
             }
             if (!isset($params[$name])) {
-                return false;
-            } elseif (strcmp($params[$name], $value) === 0) { // strcmp will do string conversion automatically
+                // allow omit empty optional params
+                // @see https://github.com/yiisoft/yii2/issues/10970
+                if (in_array($name, $this->placeholders) && strcmp($value, '') === 0) {
+                    $params[$name] = '';
+                } else {
+                    return false;
+                }
+            }
+            if (strcmp($params[$name], $value) === 0) { // strcmp will do string conversion automatically
                 unset($params[$name]);
                 if (isset($this->_paramRules[$name])) {
                     $tr["<$name>"] = '';
diff --git a/tests/framework/web/UrlRuleTest.php b/tests/framework/web/UrlRuleTest.php
index f847ff3eb5..eb7b6c45a4 100644
--- a/tests/framework/web/UrlRuleTest.php
+++ b/tests/framework/web/UrlRuleTest.php
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ class UrlRuleTest extends TestCase
             foreach ($tests as $j => $test) {
                 list ($route, $params, $expected) = $test;
                 $url = $rule->createUrl($manager, $route, $params);
-                $this->assertEquals($expected, $url, "Test#$i-$j: $name");
+                $this->assertSame($expected, $url, "Test#$i-$j: $name");
             }
         }
     }
@@ -483,6 +483,63 @@ class UrlRuleTest extends TestCase
                     ['post/index', ['page' => 2, 'tag' => 'b'], 'post/2-b'],
                 ],
             ],
+            [
+                'optional params - example from guide',
+                [
+                    'pattern' => 'posts/<page:\d+>/<tag>',
+                    'route' => 'post/index',
+                    'defaults' => ['page' => 1, 'tag' => ''],
+                ],
+                [
+                    ['post/index', ['page' => 1, 'tag' => ''], 'posts'],
+                    ['post/index', ['page' => 2, 'tag' => ''], 'posts/2'],
+                    ['post/index', ['page' => 2, 'tag' => 'news'], 'posts/2/news'],
+                    ['post/index', ['page' => 1, 'tag' => 'news'], 'posts/news'],
+                    // allow skip empty params on URL creation
+                    ['post/index', [], false],
+                    ['post/index', ['tag' => ''], false],
+                    ['post/index', ['page' => 1], 'posts'],
+                    ['post/index', ['page' => 2], 'posts/2'],
+                ],
+            ],
+            [
+                'required params',
+                [
+                    'pattern' => 'about-me',
+                    'route' => 'site/page',
+                    'defaults' => ['id' => 1],
+                ],
+                [
+                    ['site/page', ['id' => 1], 'about-me'],
+                    ['site/page', ['id' => 2], false],
+                ],
+            ],
+            [
+                'required default param',
+                [
+                    'pattern' => '',
+                    'route' => 'site/home',
+                    'defaults' => ['lang' => 'en'],
+                ],
+                [
+                    ['site/home', ['lang' => 'en'], ''],
+                    ['site/home', ['lang' => ''], false],
+                    ['site/home', [], false],
+                ],
+            ],
+            [
+                'required default empty param',
+                [
+                    'pattern' => '',
+                    'route' => 'site/home',
+                    'defaults' => ['lang' => ''],
+                ],
+                [
+                    ['site/home', ['lang' => ''], ''],
+                    ['site/home', ['lang' => 'en'], false],
+                    ['site/home', [], false],
+                ],
+            ],
             [
                 'route has parameters',
                 [