diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index cb30bc0..f97b2b9 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@ ruby-handlebars changelog
 [Unreleased]
 ------------
 
+[0.4.2] (2025/04/05)
+--------------------
+
+- Accept {} (empty curly) as a non-expression. Due to the problem with 'NREUM={}'
 
 [0.4.1] (2022/06/01)
 --------------------
diff --git a/lib/ruby-handlebars/helpers/eq_helper.rb b/lib/ruby-handlebars/helpers/eq_helper.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d82eb62
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/ruby-handlebars/helpers/eq_helper.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+require_relative 'default_helper'
+
+module Handlebars
+  module Helpers
+    class EqHelper < DefaultHelper
+      def self.registry_name
+        'eq'
+      end
+
+      def self.apply(context, item1, item2, block = nil, else_block = nil)
+        if item1 == item2
+          block.fn(context)
+        elsif else_block
+          else_block.fn(context)
+        else
+          ""
+        end
+      rescue Exception => err
+        ''
+      end
+
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/ruby-handlebars/helpers/register_default_helpers.rb b/lib/ruby-handlebars/helpers/register_default_helpers.rb
index 3924806..2f1681f 100644
--- a/lib/ruby-handlebars/helpers/register_default_helpers.rb
+++ b/lib/ruby-handlebars/helpers/register_default_helpers.rb
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 require_relative 'if_helper'
 require_relative 'unless_helper'
 require_relative 'with_helper'
+require_relative 'eq_helper'
 
 module Handlebars
   module Helpers
@@ -12,6 +13,7 @@ def self.register_default_helpers(hbs)
       IfHelper.register(hbs)
       UnlessHelper.register(hbs)
       WithHelper.register(hbs)
+      EqHelper.register(hbs)
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/ruby-handlebars/parser.rb b/lib/ruby-handlebars/parser.rb
index ca21386..f768ead 100644
--- a/lib/ruby-handlebars/parser.rb
+++ b/lib/ruby-handlebars/parser.rb
@@ -26,7 +26,8 @@ class Parser < Parslet::Parser
     rule(:directory)   { (else_kw >> space? >> dccurly).absent? >> match['@\-a-zA-Z0-9_\/\?'].repeat(1) }
     rule(:path)        { identifier >> (dot >> (identifier | else_kw)).repeat }
 
-    rule(:nocurly)     { match('[^{}]') }
+    # Take into account empty curly braces as a valid sequence of non-curlies
+    rule(:nocurly)     { match('[^{}]|\{\s*\}') }
     rule(:eof)         { any.absent? }
     rule(:template_content) {
       (
diff --git a/ruby-handlebars.gemspec b/ruby-handlebars.gemspec
index c3001a8..fa0db5a 100644
--- a/ruby-handlebars.gemspec
+++ b/ruby-handlebars.gemspec
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 
 Gem::Specification.new do |s|
   s.name = "ruby-handlebars".freeze
-  s.version = "0.4.1"
+  s.version = "0.4.2"
 
   s.required_rubygems_version = Gem::Requirement.new(">= 0".freeze) if s.respond_to? :required_rubygems_version=
   s.require_paths = ["lib".freeze]
@@ -59,4 +59,3 @@ Gem::Specification.new do |s|
     s.add_dependency(%q<juwelier>.freeze, ["~> 2.4"])
   end
 end
-