diff --git a/.werks/17213.md b/.werks/17213.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..1b4689d1623
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.werks/17213.md
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+[//]: # (werk v2)
+# oracle_sql: Fix ValueError: could not convert string to float: ''
+
+key        | value
+---------- | ---
+date       | 2024-11-12T13:55:24+00:00
+version    | 2.3.0p21
+class      | fix
+edition    | cre
+component  | checks
+level      | 1
+compatible | yes
+
+The agent plugin `mk_oracle` reports `elapsed:' for the elapsed time, if the `perl` or `bc` call fail.
+In the past, the plugin `oracle_sql` crashes with
+```
+  elif key == "elapsed":
+    instance.elapsed = float(line[1])
+ValueError: could not convert string to float: ''
+```
+With this Werk, the crash is fixed. The missing metric `elapsed_time` will be omitted.
diff --git a/cmk/base/legacy_checks/oracle_sql.py b/cmk/base/legacy_checks/oracle_sql.py
index faf19611840..02a434c6e80 100644
--- a/cmk/base/legacy_checks/oracle_sql.py
+++ b/cmk/base/legacy_checks/oracle_sql.py
@@ -88,7 +88,8 @@ def parse_perfdata(line):
             instance[key] = int(line[1])
 
         elif key == "elapsed":
-            instance[key] = float(line[1])
+            if line[1] != "":
+                instance[key] = float(line[1])
 
         else:
             instance["parsing_error"].setdefault(
diff --git a/tests/unit/checks/test_oracle_sql.py b/tests/unit/checks/test_oracle_sql.py
index f8aea140dd4..07357a55bea 100644
--- a/tests/unit/checks/test_oracle_sql.py
+++ b/tests/unit/checks/test_oracle_sql.py
@@ -59,6 +59,25 @@
     ["elapsed", "0.29444"],
 ]
 
+# In SUP-21227 it was reported that the line 'elapsed:' shows up in the agent output. We did not
+# obtain an agent output, but this could happen if `perl -MTime::HiRes=time -wle 'print time'`
+# fails. This table was copied from INFO_4 and modified to match the ticket.
+INFO_5 = [
+    ["[[[yoble1|NBA SESSIONS]]]"],
+    ["long", "Avara SEP_ID", " 301"],
+    [
+        "details",
+        "Active sessions",
+        " 0 (warn/crit at 10/20) / Inactive sessions",
+        " 0 (warn/crit at 10/40)",
+    ],
+    ["perfdata", "sessions_active=0;10;20"],
+    ["perfdata", "sessions_inactive=0;10;40"],
+    ["perfdata", "sessions_maxage=0"],
+    ["exit", "0"],
+    ["elapsed", ""],
+]
+
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "info,expected",
@@ -154,6 +173,27 @@
                 }
             },
         ),
+        (
+            INFO_5,
+            {
+                "YOBLE1 SQL NBA SESSIONS": {
+                    "details": [
+                        "Active sessions: 0 (warn/crit at "
+                        "10/20) / Inactive sessions: 0 "
+                        "(warn/crit at 10/40)"
+                    ],
+                    "elapsed": None,
+                    "exit": 0,
+                    "long": ["Avara SEP_ID: 301"],
+                    "parsing_error": {},
+                    "perfdata": [
+                        ("sessions_active", 0, 10, 20),
+                        ("sessions_inactive", 0, 10, 40),
+                        ("sessions_maxage", 0),
+                    ],
+                }
+            },
+        ),
     ],
 )
 def test_oracle_sql_parse(info, expected):