diff --git a/rapids-cmake/cuda/detail/architectures_policy.cmake b/rapids-cmake/cuda/detail/architectures_policy.cmake
index 5fdc5b2e3..063b7a933 100644
--- a/rapids-cmake/cuda/detail/architectures_policy.cmake
+++ b/rapids-cmake/cuda/detail/architectures_policy.cmake
@@ -50,6 +50,13 @@ function(rapids_cuda_architectures_policy called_from mode_variable)
       )
     endif()
   endif()
+  if(value STREQUAL "")
+    set(new_value "NATIVE")
+    rapids_cmake_policy(DEPRECATED_IN 23.02
+                        REMOVED_IN 23.06
+                        MESSAGE "Usage of `""` as value for `CMAKE_CUDA_ARCHITECTURES` has been deprecated, use `NATIVE` instead."
+    )
+  endif()
 
   set(${mode_variable} ${new_value} PARENT_SCOPE)
 endfunction()
diff --git a/rapids-cmake/cuda/init_architectures.cmake b/rapids-cmake/cuda/init_architectures.cmake
index 9be27a520..75ddacd77 100644
--- a/rapids-cmake/cuda/init_architectures.cmake
+++ b/rapids-cmake/cuda/init_architectures.cmake
@@ -84,6 +84,8 @@ function(rapids_cuda_init_architectures project_name)
     rapids_cuda_architectures_policy(FROM_INIT cuda_arch_mode)
   elseif(CMAKE_CUDA_ARCHITECTURES STREQUAL "" OR CMAKE_CUDA_ARCHITECTURES STREQUAL "NATIVE")
     set(cuda_arch_mode "NATIVE")
+    set(deprecated_cuda_arch_mode "")
+    rapids_cuda_architectures_policy(FROM_INIT deprecated_cuda_arch_mode)
   elseif(NOT (DEFINED ENV{CUDAARCHS} OR DEFINED CMAKE_CUDA_ARCHITECTURES))
     set(cuda_arch_mode "RAPIDS")
   endif()
diff --git a/testing/cuda/CMakeLists.txt b/testing/cuda/CMakeLists.txt
index 1cb680070..4540a319b 100644
--- a/testing/cuda/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/testing/cuda/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -45,3 +45,6 @@ set(deprecated_message "rapids-cmake policy [deprecated=23.02 removed=23.06]: Us
 add_cmake_config_test( init_arch-all-via-env-deprecated.cmake SHOULD_FAIL "${deprecated_message}")
 add_cmake_config_test( init_arch-all-deprecated.cmake SHOULD_FAIL "${deprecated_message}")
 add_cmake_config_test( set_arch-all-deprecated.cmake SHOULD_FAIL "${deprecated_message}")
+
+set(deprecated_message "rapids-cmake policy [deprecated=23.02 removed=23.06]: Usage of `""`")
+add_cmake_config_test( init_arch-native-via-empty-str-deprecated SHOULD_FAIL "${deprecated_message}")
diff --git a/testing/cuda/init_arch-native-via-empty-str-deprecated/CMakeLists.txt b/testing/cuda/init_arch-native-via-empty-str-deprecated/CMakeLists.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7ac77b07a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testing/cuda/init_arch-native-via-empty-str-deprecated/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+#=============================================================================
+# Copyright (c) 2021, NVIDIA CORPORATION.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+#=============================================================================
+include(${rapids-cmake-dir}/cuda/init_architectures.cmake)
+
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.23.1)
+
+set(CMAKE_CUDA_ARCHITECTURES "")
+set(CMAKE_ERROR_DEPRECATED ON)
+
+rapids_cuda_init_architectures(rapids-project)
+project(rapids-project LANGUAGES CUDA)
+
+if(NOT DEFINED CMAKE_CUDA_ARCHITECTURES)
+  message(FATAL_ERROR "rapids_cuda_init_architectures didn't init CUDA_ARCHITECTURES")
+endif()
+
+if(CMAKE_CUDA_ARCHITECTURES STREQUAL "")
+  message(FATAL_ERROR "rapids_cuda_init_architectures didn't init CUDA_ARCHITECTURES")
+endif()
+
+include("${rapids-cmake-testing-dir}/cuda/validate-cuda-native.cmake")