diff --git a/google-cloud-pubsub/src/main/java/com/google/cloud/pubsub/v1/Publisher.java b/google-cloud-pubsub/src/main/java/com/google/cloud/pubsub/v1/Publisher.java
index 5779b1fe7..07a550496 100644
--- a/google-cloud-pubsub/src/main/java/com/google/cloud/pubsub/v1/Publisher.java
+++ b/google-cloud-pubsub/src/main/java/com/google/cloud/pubsub/v1/Publisher.java
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ public ApiFuture<String> publish(PubsubMessage message) {
     List<OutstandingBatch> batchesToSend;
     messagesBatchLock.lock();
     try {
-      if (sequentialExecutor.keyHasError(orderingKey)) {
+      if (!orderingKey.isEmpty() && sequentialExecutor.keyHasError(orderingKey)) {
         outstandingPublish.publishResult.setException(
             SequentialExecutorService.CallbackExecutor.CANCELLATION_EXCEPTION);
         return outstandingPublish.publishResult;