diff --git a/.changeset/hungry-dancers-hug.md b/.changeset/hungry-dancers-hug.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..43b994ef0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/hungry-dancers-hug.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'astro': patch
+---
+
+Do not throw an error for an empty collection directory.
diff --git a/.changeset/tidy-kiwis-lick.md b/.changeset/tidy-kiwis-lick.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..14a5284dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/tidy-kiwis-lick.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'astro': patch
+---
+
+Fixed an issue where spaces and unicode characters in project path prevented middleware from running.
diff --git a/packages/astro/src/content/runtime.ts b/packages/astro/src/content/runtime.ts
index 7b8654ee7..eeaa60e6c 100644
--- a/packages/astro/src/content/runtime.ts
+++ b/packages/astro/src/content/runtime.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import type { MarkdownHeading } from '@astrojs/markdown-remark';
 import { ZodIssueCode, string as zodString } from 'zod';
+import type { AstroIntegration } from '../@types/astro.js';
 import { AstroError, AstroErrorData } from '../core/errors/index.js';
 import { prependForwardSlash } from '../core/path.js';
 import {
@@ -55,10 +56,7 @@ export function createGetCollection({
 		} else if (collection in dataCollectionToEntryMap) {
 			type = 'data';
 		} else {
-			throw new AstroError({
-				...AstroErrorData.CollectionDoesNotExistError,
-				message: AstroErrorData.CollectionDoesNotExistError.message(collection),
-			});
+			return warnOfEmptyCollection(collection);
 		}
 		const lazyImports = Object.values(
 			type === 'content'
@@ -392,3 +390,16 @@ type PropagatedAssetsModule = {
 function isPropagatedAssetsModule(module: any): module is PropagatedAssetsModule {
 	return typeof module === 'object' && module != null && '__astroPropagation' in module;
 }
+
+function warnOfEmptyCollection(collection: string): AstroIntegration {
+	return {
+		name: 'astro-collection',
+		hooks: {
+			'astro:server:start': ({ logger }) => {
+				logger.warn(
+					`The collection **${collection}** does not exist or is empty. Ensure a collection directory with this name exists.`
+				);
+			},
+		},
+	};
+}
diff --git a/packages/astro/src/core/build/plugins/plugin-middleware.ts b/packages/astro/src/core/build/plugins/plugin-middleware.ts
index 47ff4b863..22d3f795b 100644
--- a/packages/astro/src/core/build/plugins/plugin-middleware.ts
+++ b/packages/astro/src/core/build/plugins/plugin-middleware.ts
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ export function vitePluginMiddleware(
 		async resolveId(id) {
 			if (id === MIDDLEWARE_MODULE_ID) {
 				const middlewareId = await this.resolve(
-					`${opts.settings.config.srcDir.pathname}/${MIDDLEWARE_PATH_SEGMENT_NAME}`
+					`${decodeURI(opts.settings.config.srcDir.pathname)}${MIDDLEWARE_PATH_SEGMENT_NAME}`
 				);
 				if (middlewareId) {
 					resolvedMiddlewareId = middlewareId.id;
diff --git a/packages/astro/src/core/middleware/loadMiddleware.ts b/packages/astro/src/core/middleware/loadMiddleware.ts
index 9a7f3e4bc..b8528eb4b 100644
--- a/packages/astro/src/core/middleware/loadMiddleware.ts
+++ b/packages/astro/src/core/middleware/loadMiddleware.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ export async function loadMiddleware(
 	srcDir: AstroSettings['config']['srcDir']
 ) {
 	// can't use node Node.js builtins
-	let middlewarePath = srcDir.pathname + '/' + MIDDLEWARE_PATH_SEGMENT_NAME;
+	let middlewarePath = `${decodeURI(srcDir.pathname)}${MIDDLEWARE_PATH_SEGMENT_NAME}`;
 	try {
 		const module = await moduleLoader.import(middlewarePath);
 		return module;
diff --git a/packages/astro/test/content-collections.test.js b/packages/astro/test/content-collections.test.js
index e39d7da5e..082a7c0eb 100644
--- a/packages/astro/test/content-collections.test.js
+++ b/packages/astro/test/content-collections.test.js
@@ -244,6 +244,22 @@ describe('Content Collections', () => {
 		});
 	});
 
+	describe('With empty collections directory', () => {
+		it('Handles the empty directory correclty', async () => {
+			const fixture = await loadFixture({
+				root: './fixtures/content-collections-empty-dir/',
+			});
+			let error;
+			try {
+				await fixture.build();
+			} catch (e) {
+				error = e.message;
+			}
+			expect(error).to.be.undefined;
+			// TODO: try to render a page
+		});
+	});
+
 	describe('SSR integration', () => {
 		let app;
 
diff --git a/packages/astro/test/featuresSupport.test.js b/packages/astro/test/featuresSupport.test.js
index fba8da475..c25d9d5f8 100644
--- a/packages/astro/test/featuresSupport.test.js
+++ b/packages/astro/test/featuresSupport.test.js
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ describe('Adapter', () => {
 	it("should error if the adapter doesn't support edge middleware", async () => {
 		try {
 			fixture = await loadFixture({
-				root: './fixtures/middleware-dev/',
+				root: './fixtures/middleware space/',
 				output: 'server',
 				build: {
 					excludeMiddleware: true,
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ describe('Adapter', () => {
 	it("should error if the adapter doesn't support split build", async () => {
 		try {
 			fixture = await loadFixture({
-				root: './fixtures/middleware-dev/',
+				root: './fixtures/middleware space/',
 				output: 'server',
 				build: {
 					split: true,
diff --git a/packages/astro/test/fixtures/content-collections-empty-dir/package.json b/packages/astro/test/fixtures/content-collections-empty-dir/package.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a811df071
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/astro/test/fixtures/content-collections-empty-dir/package.json
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+{
+  "name": "@test/content-collections-empty-dir",
+  "version": "0.0.0",
+  "private": true,
+  "type": "module",
+  "dependencies": {
+    "astro": "workspace:*"
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/astro/test/fixtures/content-collections-empty-dir/src/content/config.ts b/packages/astro/test/fixtures/content-collections-empty-dir/src/content/config.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..991994433
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/astro/test/fixtures/content-collections-empty-dir/src/content/config.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+import { z, defineCollection } from 'astro:content';
+
+const blog = defineCollection({
+	schema: z.object({
+		title: z.string(),
+	}),
+});
+
+export const collections = {
+	blog,
+};
diff --git a/packages/astro/test/fixtures/content-collections-empty-dir/src/pages/index.astro b/packages/astro/test/fixtures/content-collections-empty-dir/src/pages/index.astro
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4b5e0ffb8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/astro/test/fixtures/content-collections-empty-dir/src/pages/index.astro
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+---
+import { getCollection } from 'astro:content'
+
+const blogs =  await getCollection("blogs")
+// console.log(blogs)
+---
+
+<p>This should still render</p>
diff --git a/packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware-dev/package.json b/packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware space/package.json
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware-dev/package.json
rename to packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware space/package.json
diff --git a/packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware-dev/src/middleware.js b/packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware space/src/middleware.js
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware-dev/src/middleware.js
rename to packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware space/src/middleware.js
diff --git a/packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware-dev/src/pages/404.astro b/packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware space/src/pages/404.astro
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware-dev/src/pages/404.astro
rename to packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware space/src/pages/404.astro
diff --git a/packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware-dev/src/pages/api/endpoint.js b/packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware space/src/pages/api/endpoint.js
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware-dev/src/pages/api/endpoint.js
rename to packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware space/src/pages/api/endpoint.js
diff --git a/packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware-dev/src/pages/broken-500.astro b/packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware space/src/pages/broken-500.astro
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware-dev/src/pages/broken-500.astro
rename to packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware space/src/pages/broken-500.astro
diff --git a/packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware-dev/src/pages/broken-locals.astro b/packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware space/src/pages/broken-locals.astro
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware-dev/src/pages/broken-locals.astro
rename to packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware space/src/pages/broken-locals.astro
diff --git a/packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware-dev/src/pages/clone.astro b/packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware space/src/pages/clone.astro
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware-dev/src/pages/clone.astro
rename to packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware space/src/pages/clone.astro
diff --git a/packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware-dev/src/pages/does-nothing.astro b/packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware space/src/pages/does-nothing.astro
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware-dev/src/pages/does-nothing.astro
rename to packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware space/src/pages/does-nothing.astro
diff --git a/packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware-dev/src/pages/index.astro b/packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware space/src/pages/index.astro
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware-dev/src/pages/index.astro
rename to packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware space/src/pages/index.astro
diff --git a/packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware-dev/src/pages/lorem.astro b/packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware space/src/pages/lorem.astro
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware-dev/src/pages/lorem.astro
rename to packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware space/src/pages/lorem.astro
diff --git a/packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware-dev/src/pages/not-interested.astro b/packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware space/src/pages/not-interested.astro
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware-dev/src/pages/not-interested.astro
rename to packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware space/src/pages/not-interested.astro
diff --git a/packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware-dev/src/pages/redirect.astro b/packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware space/src/pages/redirect.astro
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware-dev/src/pages/redirect.astro
rename to packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware space/src/pages/redirect.astro
diff --git a/packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware-dev/src/pages/rewrite.astro b/packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware space/src/pages/rewrite.astro
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware-dev/src/pages/rewrite.astro
rename to packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware space/src/pages/rewrite.astro
diff --git a/packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware-dev/src/pages/second.astro b/packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware space/src/pages/second.astro
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware-dev/src/pages/second.astro
rename to packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware space/src/pages/second.astro
diff --git a/packages/astro/test/middleware.test.js b/packages/astro/test/middleware.test.js
index 9ca4841d4..81f167647 100644
--- a/packages/astro/test/middleware.test.js
+++ b/packages/astro/test/middleware.test.js
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ describe('Middleware in DEV mode', () => {
 
 	before(async () => {
 		fixture = await loadFixture({
-			root: './fixtures/middleware-dev/',
+			root: './fixtures/middleware space/',
 		});
 		devServer = await fixture.startDevServer();
 	});
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ describe('Middleware API in PROD mode, SSR', () => {
 
 	before(async () => {
 		fixture = await loadFixture({
-			root: './fixtures/middleware-dev/',
+			root: './fixtures/middleware space/',
 			output: 'server',
 			adapter: testAdapter({}),
 		});
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ describe('Middleware API in PROD mode, SSR', () => {
 
 	it('the integration should receive the path to the middleware', async () => {
 		fixture = await loadFixture({
-			root: './fixtures/middleware-dev/',
+			root: './fixtures/middleware space/',
 			output: 'server',
 			build: {
 				excludeMiddleware: true,
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ describe('Middleware, split middleware option', () => {
 
 	before(async () => {
 		fixture = await loadFixture({
-			root: './fixtures/middleware-dev/',
+			root: './fixtures/middleware space/',
 			output: 'server',
 			build: {
 				excludeMiddleware: true,
diff --git a/pnpm-lock.yaml b/pnpm-lock.yaml
index 1aebf6930..bd09af378 100644
--- a/pnpm-lock.yaml
+++ b/pnpm-lock.yaml
@@ -2367,6 +2367,12 @@ importers:
         specifier: workspace:*
         version: link:../../..
 
+  packages/astro/test/fixtures/content-collections-empty-dir:
+    dependencies:
+      astro:
+        specifier: workspace:*
+        version: link:../../..
+
   packages/astro/test/fixtures/content-collections-empty-md-file:
     dependencies:
       astro:
@@ -2847,7 +2853,7 @@ importers:
         specifier: workspace:*
         version: link:../../..
 
-  packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware-dev:
+  packages/astro/test/fixtures/middleware space:
     dependencies:
       astro:
         specifier: workspace:*