       (when (and (> pt beg) (< pt end))
         (when-let* ((cl (plist-get pair :cl))
                     (op (plist-get pair :op)))
-          (and (not (string-empty-p op))
-               (not (string-empty-p cl))
+          (and (not (string= op ""))
+               (not (string= cl ""))
                (let ((nbeg (+ (length op) beg))
                      (nend (- end (length cl))))
                  (let ((content (buffer-substring-no-properties nbeg nend)))

+ Otherwise, resort to `doom/backward-delete-whitespace-to-column'.
+ Resorts to `delete-char' if n > 1"
  (interactive "p\nP")
  (unless (integerp n)
    (signal 'wrong-type-argument (list 'integerp n)))
  (cond ((and (use-region-p)
              delete-active-region
              (= n 1))

           (save-excursion
             (insert-char ?\s (- ocol (current-column)) nil))))
        ;;
        ((and (= n 1)
              (not (minibufferp)))
         (cond ((and (memq (char-before) (list ?\  ?\t))
                     (save-excursion
                       (and (> (- (skip-chars-backward " \t" (line-beginning-position))) 0)
                            (bolp))))
                (doom/backward-delete-whitespace-to-column))
               ((let* ((pair (sp-get-thing))
                       (op   (plist-get pair :op))
                       (cl   (plist-get pair :cl))
                       (beg  (plist-get pair :beg))
                       (end  (plist-get pair :end)))
                  (cond ((and end beg (= end (+ beg (length op) (length cl))))
                         (sp-backward-delete-char 1))
                        ((doom-surrounded-p pair 'inline 'balanced)
                         (delete-char -1 killflag)
                         (delete-char 1)
                         (when (= (point) (+ (length cl) beg))
                           (sp-backward-delete-char 1)
                           (sp-insert-pair op)))
                        ((and (bolp) (doom-surrounded-p pair nil 'balanced))
                         (delete-region beg end)
                         (sp-insert-pair op))
                        ((doom/backward-delete-whitespace-to-column)))))))
        ;; Otherwise, do simple deletion.
        (t (delete-char (- n) killflag))))

