diff --git a/dlls/msi/install.c b/dlls/msi/install.c
index 2ba539b339b..bb7b5b8045f 100644
--- a/dlls/msi/install.c
+++ b/dlls/msi/install.c
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ UINT WINAPI MsiSequenceW( MSIHANDLE hInstall, LPCWSTR szTable, INT iSequenceMode
     return ret;
 }
 
-static UINT msi_strcpy_to_awstring( LPCWSTR str, awstring *awbuf, DWORD *sz )
+UINT msi_strcpy_to_awstring( LPCWSTR str, awstring *awbuf, DWORD *sz )
 {
     UINT len, r = ERROR_SUCCESS;
 
@@ -134,9 +134,12 @@ static UINT msi_strcpy_to_awstring( LPCWSTR str, awstring *awbuf, DWORD *sz )
     }
     else
     {
-        len = WideCharToMultiByte( CP_ACP, 0, str, -1,
-                           awbuf->str.a, *sz, NULL, NULL );
-        len--;
+        len = WideCharToMultiByte( CP_ACP, 0, str, -1, NULL, 0, NULL, NULL );
+        if (len)
+            len--;
+        WideCharToMultiByte( CP_ACP, 0, str, -1, awbuf->str.a, *sz, NULL, NULL );
+        if ( *sz && (len >= *sz) )
+            awbuf->str.a[*sz - 1] = 0;
     }
 
     if (len >= *sz)
diff --git a/dlls/msi/msipriv.h b/dlls/msi/msipriv.h
index 76a9e461a21..7649d39add7 100644
--- a/dlls/msi/msipriv.h
+++ b/dlls/msi/msipriv.h
@@ -254,6 +254,7 @@ DEFINE_GUID(CLSID_IMsiServerX3, 0x000C1094,0x0000,0x0000,0xC0,0x00,0x00,0x00,0x0
 
 DEFINE_GUID(CLSID_IMsiServerMessage, 0x000C101D,0x0000,0x0000,0xC0,0x00,0x00,0x00,0x00,0x00,0x00,0x46);
 
+/* handle unicode/ascii output in the Msi* API functions */
 typedef struct {
     BOOL unicode;
     union {
@@ -270,6 +271,8 @@ typedef struct {
     } str;
 } awcstring;
 
+UINT msi_strcpy_to_awstring( LPCWSTR str, awstring *awbuf, DWORD *sz );
+
 /* handle functions */
 extern void *msihandle2msiinfo(MSIHANDLE handle, UINT type);
 extern MSIHANDLE alloc_msihandle( MSIOBJECTHDR * );
diff --git a/dlls/msi/package.c b/dlls/msi/package.c
index a12cd286f35..16a26080f9d 100644
--- a/dlls/msi/package.c
+++ b/dlls/msi/package.c
@@ -682,32 +682,26 @@ out:
 }
 
 /* property code */
-UINT WINAPI MsiSetPropertyA( MSIHANDLE hInstall, LPCSTR szName, LPCSTR szValue)
+UINT WINAPI MsiSetPropertyA( MSIHANDLE hInstall, LPCSTR szName, LPCSTR szValue )
 {
     LPWSTR szwName = NULL, szwValue = NULL;
-    UINT hr = ERROR_INSTALL_FAILURE;
+    UINT r = ERROR_OUTOFMEMORY;
 
-    if( szName )
-    {
-        szwName = strdupAtoW( szName );
-        if( !szwName )
-            goto end;
-    }
+    szwName = strdupAtoW( szName );
+    if( szName && !szwName )
+        goto end;
 
-    if( szValue )
-    {
-        szwValue = strdupAtoW( szValue );
-        if( !szwValue)
-            goto end;
-    }
+    szwValue = strdupAtoW( szValue );
+    if( szValue && !szwValue )
+        goto end;
 
-    hr = MsiSetPropertyW( hInstall, szwName, szwValue);
+    r = MsiSetPropertyW( hInstall, szwName, szwValue);
 
 end:
     msi_free( szwName );
     msi_free( szwValue );
 
-    return hr;
+    return r;
 }
 
 UINT MSI_SetPropertyW( MSIPACKAGE *package, LPCWSTR szName, LPCWSTR szValue)
@@ -728,8 +722,14 @@ UINT MSI_SetPropertyW( MSIPACKAGE *package, LPCWSTR szName, LPCWSTR szValue)
 ,'e','r','t','y','`',' ','=',' ','\'','%','s','\'',0};
     WCHAR Query[1024];
 
-    TRACE("Setting property (%s %s)\n",debugstr_w(szName),
-          debugstr_w(szValue));
+    TRACE("%p %s %s\n", package, debugstr_w(szName), debugstr_w(szValue));
+
+    if (!szName)
+        return ERROR_INVALID_PARAMETER;
+
+    /* this one is wierd... */
+    if (!szName[0])
+        return szValue ? ERROR_FUNCTION_FAILED : ERROR_SUCCESS;
 
     rc = MSI_GetPropertyW(package,szName,0,&sz);
     if (rc==ERROR_MORE_DATA || rc == ERROR_SUCCESS)
@@ -767,11 +767,6 @@ UINT WINAPI MsiSetPropertyW( MSIHANDLE hInstall, LPCWSTR szName, LPCWSTR szValue
     MSIPACKAGE *package;
     UINT ret;
 
-    if (NULL == szName)
-        return ERROR_INVALID_PARAMETER;
-    if (NULL == szValue)
-        return ERROR_INVALID_PARAMETER;
-
     package = msihandle2msiinfo( hInstall, MSIHANDLETYPE_PACKAGE);
     if( !package )
         return ERROR_INVALID_HANDLE;
@@ -780,51 +775,33 @@ UINT WINAPI MsiSetPropertyW( MSIHANDLE hInstall, LPCWSTR szName, LPCWSTR szValue
     return ret;
 }
 
-static UINT MSI_GetPropertyRow(MSIPACKAGE *package, LPCWSTR szName, MSIRECORD **row)
+static MSIRECORD *MSI_GetPropertyRow( MSIPACKAGE *package, LPCWSTR name )
 {
-    MSIQUERY *view;
-    UINT rc, sz;
-    static const WCHAR select[]=
+    static const WCHAR query[]=
     {'S','E','L','E','C','T',' ','`','V','a','l','u','e','`',' ',
      'F','R','O','M',' ' ,'`','_','P','r','o','p','e','r','t','y','`',
      ' ','W','H','E','R','E',' ' ,'`','_','P','r','o','p','e','r','t','y','`',
      '=','\'','%','s','\'',0};
-    LPWSTR query;
 
-    if (!szName)
-        return ERROR_INVALID_PARAMETER;
+    if (!name || !name[0])
+        return NULL;
 
-    sz = sizeof select + strlenW(szName)*sizeof(WCHAR);
-    query = msi_alloc( sz);
-    sprintfW(query,select,szName);
-
-    rc = MSI_DatabaseOpenViewW(package->db, query, &view);
-    msi_free(query);
-    if (rc == ERROR_SUCCESS)
-    {
-        rc = MSI_ViewExecute(view, 0);
-        if (rc == ERROR_SUCCESS)
-            rc = MSI_ViewFetch(view,row);
-
-        MSI_ViewClose(view);
-        msiobj_release(&view->hdr);
-    }
-
-    return rc;
+    return MSI_QueryGetRecord( package->db, query, name );
 }
-
-UINT MSI_GetPropertyW(MSIPACKAGE *package, LPCWSTR szName, 
-                           LPWSTR szValueBuf, DWORD* pchValueBuf)
+ 
+/* internal function, not compatible with MsiGetPropertyW */
+UINT MSI_GetPropertyW( MSIPACKAGE *package, LPCWSTR szName, 
+                       LPWSTR szValueBuf, DWORD* pchValueBuf )
 {
     MSIRECORD *row;
-    UINT rc;
+    UINT rc = ERROR_FUNCTION_FAILED;
 
-    rc = MSI_GetPropertyRow(package, szName, &row);
+    row = MSI_GetPropertyRow( package, szName );
 
     if (*pchValueBuf > 0)
         szValueBuf[0] = 0;
 
-    if (rc == ERROR_SUCCESS)
+    if (row)
     {
         rc = MSI_RecordGetStringW(row,1,szValueBuf,pchValueBuf);
         msiobj_release(&row->hdr);
@@ -845,106 +822,67 @@ UINT MSI_GetPropertyW(MSIPACKAGE *package, LPCWSTR szName,
     return rc;
 }
 
-UINT MSI_GetPropertyA(MSIPACKAGE *package, LPCSTR szName, 
-                           LPSTR szValueBuf, DWORD* pchValueBuf)
-{
-    MSIRECORD *row;
-    UINT rc;
-    LPWSTR szwName = NULL;
-
-    if (*pchValueBuf > 0)
-        szValueBuf[0] = 0;
-    
-    if( szName )
-    {
-        szwName = strdupAtoW( szName );
-        if (!szwName)
-            return ERROR_NOT_ENOUGH_MEMORY;
-    }
-
-    rc = MSI_GetPropertyRow(package, szwName, &row);
-    if (rc == ERROR_SUCCESS)
-    {
-        rc = MSI_RecordGetStringA(row,1,szValueBuf,pchValueBuf);
-        msiobj_release(&row->hdr);
-    }
-
-    if (rc == ERROR_SUCCESS)
-        TRACE("returning %s for property %s\n", debugstr_a(szValueBuf),
-            debugstr_a(szName));
-    else if (rc == ERROR_MORE_DATA)
-        TRACE("need %ld sized buffer for %s\n", *pchValueBuf,
-            debugstr_a(szName));
-    else
-    {
-        *pchValueBuf = 0;
-        TRACE("property not found\n");
-    }
-    msi_free( szwName );
-
-    return rc;
-}
-
-UINT WINAPI MsiGetPropertyA(MSIHANDLE hInstall, LPCSTR szName, LPSTR szValueBuf, DWORD* pchValueBuf) 
+static UINT MSI_GetProperty( MSIHANDLE handle, LPCWSTR name, 
+                             awstring *szValueBuf, DWORD* pchValueBuf )
 {
+    static const WCHAR empty[] = {0};
     MSIPACKAGE *package;
-    UINT ret;
+    MSIRECORD *row = NULL;
+    UINT r;
+    LPCWSTR val = NULL;
 
-    TRACE("%lu %s %p\n", hInstall, debugstr_a(szName), pchValueBuf);
+    TRACE("%lu %s %p %p\n", handle, debugstr_w(name),
+          szValueBuf->str.w, pchValueBuf );
 
-    if (0 == hInstall)
-        return ERROR_INVALID_HANDLE;
-    if (NULL == szName)
-        return ERROR_INVALID_PARAMETER;
-    if (NULL != szValueBuf && NULL == pchValueBuf)
+    if (!name)
         return ERROR_INVALID_PARAMETER;
 
-    /* This was tested against native msi */
-    if (NULL == szValueBuf && NULL != pchValueBuf)
-        *pchValueBuf = 0;
-
-    package = msihandle2msiinfo( hInstall, MSIHANDLETYPE_PACKAGE);
+    package = msihandle2msiinfo( handle, MSIHANDLETYPE_PACKAGE );
     if (!package)
         return ERROR_INVALID_HANDLE;
-    ret = MSI_GetPropertyA(package, szName, szValueBuf, pchValueBuf );
+
+    row = MSI_GetPropertyRow( package, name );
+    if (row)
+        val = MSI_RecordGetString( row, 1 );
+
+    if (!val)
+        val = empty;
+
+    r = msi_strcpy_to_awstring( val, szValueBuf, pchValueBuf );
+
+    if (row)
+        msiobj_release( &row->hdr );
     msiobj_release( &package->hdr );
 
-    /* MsiGetProperty does not return error codes on missing properties */
-    if (ret != ERROR_MORE_DATA)
-        ret = ERROR_SUCCESS;
-
-    return ret;
+    return r;
 }
 
+UINT WINAPI MsiGetPropertyA( MSIHANDLE hInstall, LPCSTR szName,
+                             LPSTR szValueBuf, DWORD* pchValueBuf )
+{
+    awstring val;
+    LPWSTR name;
+    UINT r;
+
+    val.unicode = FALSE;
+    val.str.a = szValueBuf;
+
+    name = strdupAtoW( szName );
+    if (szName && !name)
+        return ERROR_OUTOFMEMORY;
+
+    r = MSI_GetProperty( hInstall, name, &val, pchValueBuf );
+    msi_free( name );
+    return r;
+}
   
-UINT WINAPI MsiGetPropertyW(MSIHANDLE hInstall, LPCWSTR szName, 
-                           LPWSTR szValueBuf, DWORD* pchValueBuf)
+UINT WINAPI MsiGetPropertyW( MSIHANDLE hInstall, LPCWSTR szName,
+                             LPWSTR szValueBuf, DWORD* pchValueBuf )
 {
-    MSIPACKAGE *package;
-    UINT ret;
+    awstring val;
 
-    TRACE("%lu %s %p\n", hInstall, debugstr_w(szName), pchValueBuf);
+    val.unicode = TRUE;
+    val.str.w = szValueBuf;
 
-    if (0 == hInstall)
-        return ERROR_INVALID_HANDLE;
-    if (NULL == szName)
-        return ERROR_INVALID_PARAMETER;
-    if (NULL != szValueBuf && NULL == pchValueBuf)
-        return ERROR_INVALID_PARAMETER;
-
-    /* This was tested against native msi */
-    if (NULL == szValueBuf && NULL != pchValueBuf)
-        *pchValueBuf = 0;
-
-    package = msihandle2msiinfo( hInstall, MSIHANDLETYPE_PACKAGE);
-    if (!package)
-        return ERROR_INVALID_HANDLE;
-    ret = MSI_GetPropertyW(package, szName, szValueBuf, pchValueBuf );
-    msiobj_release( &package->hdr );
-
-    /* MsiGetProperty does not return error codes on missing properties */
-    if (ret != ERROR_MORE_DATA)
-        ret = ERROR_SUCCESS;
-
-    return ret;
+    return MSI_GetProperty( hInstall, szName, &val, pchValueBuf );
 }
diff --git a/dlls/msi/tests/package.c b/dlls/msi/tests/package.c
index d10e45d7806..fa22e808de2 100644
--- a/dlls/msi/tests/package.c
+++ b/dlls/msi/tests/package.c
@@ -567,6 +567,128 @@ void test_condition(void)
     MsiCloseHandle( hpkg );
 }
 
+static BOOL check_prop_empty( MSIHANDLE hpkg, char * prop)
+{
+    UINT r;
+    DWORD sz;
+    char buffer[2];
+
+    sz = sizeof buffer;
+    strcpy(buffer,"x");
+    r = MsiGetProperty( hpkg, prop, buffer, &sz );
+    return r == ERROR_SUCCESS && buffer[0] == 0 && sz == 0;
+}
+
+static void test_props(void)
+{
+    MSIHANDLE hpkg;
+    UINT r;
+    DWORD sz;
+    char buffer[0x100];
+
+    hpkg = package_from_db(create_package_db());
+    ok( hpkg, "failed to create package\n");
+
+    /* test invalid values */
+    r = MsiGetProperty( 0, NULL, NULL, NULL );
+    ok( r == ERROR_INVALID_PARAMETER, "wrong return val\n");
+
+    r = MsiGetProperty( hpkg, NULL, NULL, NULL );
+    ok( r == ERROR_INVALID_PARAMETER, "wrong return val\n");
+
+    r = MsiGetProperty( hpkg, "boo", NULL, NULL );
+    ok( r == ERROR_SUCCESS, "wrong return val\n");
+
+    r = MsiGetProperty( hpkg, "boo", buffer, NULL );
+    ok( r == ERROR_INVALID_PARAMETER, "wrong return val\n");
+
+    /* test retrieving an empty/non-existant property */
+    sz = sizeof buffer;
+    r = MsiGetProperty( hpkg, "boo", NULL, &sz );
+    ok( r == ERROR_SUCCESS, "wrong return val\n");
+    ok( sz == 0, "wrong size returned\n");
+
+    check_prop_empty( hpkg, "boo");
+    sz = 0;
+    strcpy(buffer,"x");
+    r = MsiGetProperty( hpkg, "boo", buffer, &sz );
+    ok( r == ERROR_MORE_DATA, "wrong return val\n");
+    ok( !strcmp(buffer,"x"), "buffer was changed\n");
+    ok( sz == 0, "wrong size returned\n");
+
+    sz = 1;
+    strcpy(buffer,"x");
+    r = MsiGetProperty( hpkg, "boo", buffer, &sz );
+    ok( r == ERROR_SUCCESS, "wrong return val\n");
+    ok( buffer[0] == 0, "buffer was not changed\n");
+    ok( sz == 0, "wrong size returned\n");
+
+    /* set the property to something */
+    r = MsiSetProperty( 0, NULL, NULL );
+    ok( r == ERROR_INVALID_HANDLE, "wrong return val\n");
+
+    r = MsiSetProperty( hpkg, NULL, NULL );
+    ok( r == ERROR_INVALID_PARAMETER, "wrong return val\n");
+
+    r = MsiSetProperty( hpkg, "", NULL );
+    ok( r == ERROR_SUCCESS, "wrong return val\n");
+
+    /* try set and get some illegal property identifiers */
+    r = MsiSetProperty( hpkg, "", "asdf" );
+    ok( r == ERROR_FUNCTION_FAILED, "wrong return val\n");
+
+    r = MsiSetProperty( hpkg, "=", "asdf" );
+    ok( r == ERROR_SUCCESS, "wrong return val\n");
+
+    r = MsiSetProperty( hpkg, " ", "asdf" );
+    ok( r == ERROR_SUCCESS, "wrong return val\n");
+
+    r = MsiSetProperty( hpkg, "'", "asdf" );
+    ok( r == ERROR_SUCCESS, "wrong return val\n");
+
+    sz = sizeof buffer;
+    buffer[0]=0;
+    r = MsiGetProperty( hpkg, "'", buffer, &sz );
+    ok( r == ERROR_SUCCESS, "wrong return val\n");
+    ok( !strcmp(buffer,"asdf"), "buffer was not changed\n");
+
+    /* set empty values */
+    r = MsiSetProperty( hpkg, "boo", NULL );
+    ok( r == ERROR_SUCCESS, "wrong return val\n");
+    ok( check_prop_empty( hpkg, "boo"), "prop wasn't empty\n");
+
+    r = MsiSetProperty( hpkg, "boo", "" );
+    ok( r == ERROR_SUCCESS, "wrong return val\n");
+    ok( check_prop_empty( hpkg, "boo"), "prop wasn't empty\n");
+
+    /* set a non-empty value */
+    r = MsiSetProperty( hpkg, "boo", "xyz" );
+    ok( r == ERROR_SUCCESS, "wrong return val\n");
+
+    sz = 1;
+    strcpy(buffer,"x");
+    r = MsiGetProperty( hpkg, "boo", buffer, &sz );
+    ok( r == ERROR_MORE_DATA, "wrong return val\n");
+    ok( buffer[0] == 0, "buffer was not changed\n");
+    ok( sz == 3, "wrong size returned\n");
+
+    sz = 4;
+    strcpy(buffer,"x");
+    r = MsiGetProperty( hpkg, "boo", buffer, &sz );
+    ok( r == ERROR_SUCCESS, "wrong return val\n");
+    ok( !strcmp(buffer,"xyz"), "buffer was not changed\n");
+    ok( sz == 3, "wrong size returned\n");
+
+    sz = 3;
+    strcpy(buffer,"x");
+    r = MsiGetProperty( hpkg, "boo", buffer, &sz );
+    ok( r == ERROR_MORE_DATA, "wrong return val\n");
+    ok( !strcmp(buffer,"xy"), "buffer was not changed\n");
+    ok( sz == 3, "wrong size returned\n");
+
+    MsiCloseHandle( hpkg );
+}
+
 START_TEST(package)
 {
     test_createpackage();
@@ -574,4 +696,5 @@ START_TEST(package)
     test_getsourcepath();
     test_doaction();
     test_gettargetpath_bad();
+    test_props();
 }