--- a/src/jdk.javadoc/share/classes/jdk/javadoc/internal/doclets/formats/html/HtmlDoclet.java	Tue Dec 12 11:31:38 2017 -0800
+++ b/src/jdk.javadoc/share/classes/jdk/javadoc/internal/doclets/formats/html/HtmlDoclet.java	Tue Dec 12 14:16:24 2017 -0800
@@ -117,8 +117,10 @@
             SourceToHTMLConverter.convertRoot(configuration,
                 docEnv, DocPaths.SOURCE_OUTPUT);
         }
-
-        if (configuration.topFile.isEmpty()) {
+        // Modules with no documented classes may be specified on the
+        // command line to specify a service provider, allow these.
+        if (configuration.getSpecifiedModuleElements().isEmpty() &&
+                configuration.topFile.isEmpty()) {
             messages.error("doclet.No_Non_Deprecated_Classes_To_Document");
             return;
         }

--- a/src/jdk.javadoc/share/classes/jdk/javadoc/internal/doclets/toolkit/AbstractDoclet.java	Tue Dec 12 11:31:38 2017 -0800
+++ b/src/jdk.javadoc/share/classes/jdk/javadoc/internal/doclets/toolkit/AbstractDoclet.java	Tue Dec 12 14:16:24 2017 -0800
@@ -193,7 +193,11 @@
      * @throws DocletException if there is a problem while generating the documentation
      */
     private void startGeneration(DocletEnvironment docEnv) throws DocletException {
-        if (configuration.getIncludedTypeElements().isEmpty()) {
+
+        // Modules with no documented classes may be specified on the
+        // command line to specify a service provider, allow these.
+        if (configuration.getSpecifiedModuleElements().isEmpty() &&
+                configuration.getIncludedTypeElements().isEmpty()) {
             messages.error("doclet.No_Public_Classes_To_Document");
             return;
         }

--- /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
+++ b/test/langtools/jdk/javadoc/doclet/testModules/TestEmptyModule.java	Tue Dec 12 14:16:24 2017 -0800
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2017, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+ * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
+ *
+ * This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+ * under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 only, as
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation.
+ *
+ * This code is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+ * ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
+ * FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License
+ * version 2 for more details (a copy is included in the LICENSE file that
+ * accompanied this code).
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License version
+ * 2 along with this work; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation,
+ * Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
+ *
+ * Please contact Oracle, 500 Oracle Parkway, Redwood Shores, CA 94065 USA
+ * or visit www.oracle.com if you need additional information or have any
+ * questions.
+ */
+
+/*
+ * @test
+ * @bug 8193107
+ * @summary test an empty module
+ * @modules jdk.javadoc/jdk.javadoc.internal.api
+ *          jdk.javadoc/jdk.javadoc.internal.tool
+ *          jdk.compiler/com.sun.tools.javac.api
+ *          jdk.compiler/com.sun.tools.javac.main
+ * @library ../lib /tools/lib
+ * @build toolbox.ToolBox toolbox.ModuleBuilder JavadocTester
+ * @run main TestEmptyModule
+ */
+
+import toolbox.ModuleBuilder;
+import toolbox.ToolBox;
+
+import java.nio.file.Path;
+import java.nio.file.Paths;
+
+public class TestEmptyModule extends JavadocTester {
+
+    public final ToolBox tb;
+    public static void main(String... args) throws Exception {
+        TestEmptyModule tester = new TestEmptyModule();
+        tester.runTests(m -> new Object[] { Paths.get(m.getName()) });
+    }
+
+    public TestEmptyModule() {
+        tb = new ToolBox();
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void checkEmptyModule(Path base) throws Exception {
+        ModuleBuilder mb = new ModuleBuilder(tb, "empty")
+                .comment("module empty.");
+                mb.write(base);
+
+        javadoc("-d", base.resolve("out").toString(),
+                "-quiet",
+                "--module-source-path", base.toString(),
+                "--module", "empty");
+        checkExit(Exit.OK);
+
+        checkOutput("empty-summary.html", true,
+                "module empty.");
+    }
+
+}