gistfile1.diff

diff --git a/lib/mail/fields/common/common_message_id.rb b/lib/mail/fields/common/common_message_id.rb
index 1223954..d25316d 100644
--- a/lib/mail/fields/common/common_message_id.rb
+++ b/lib/mail/fields/common/common_message_id.rb
@@ -18,7 +18,11 @@ module Mail
     end
     
     def message_ids
-      element.message_ids
+      unless value.blank?
+        element.message_ids
+      else
+        []
+      end
     end
     
     def default
diff --git a/spec/mail/fields/in_reply_to_field_spec.rb b/spec/mail/fields/in_reply_to_field_spec.rb
index d230093..6eeb291 100644
--- a/spec/mail/fields/in_reply_to_field_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/mail/fields/in_reply_to_field_spec.rb
@@ -49,10 +49,14 @@ describe Mail::InReplyToField do
       t = Mail::InReplyToField.new('<1234@test.lindsaar.net> <4567@test.lindsaar.net>')
       t.decoded.should == '<1234@test.lindsaar.net>, <4567@test.lindsaar.net>'
     end
-    
+
+    it "should be able to handle an empty header" do
+      t = Mail::InReplyToField.new('')
+      t.decoded.should == ""
+    end
   end
 
-  describe "handlign multiple message ids" do
+  describe "handling multiple message ids" do
     it "should handle many message IDs" do
       t = Mail::InReplyToField.new('<1234@test.lindsaar.net> <4567@test.lindsaar.net>')
       t.name.should == 'In-Reply-To'