diff --git a/lib/bcoin/block.js b/lib/bcoin/block.js
index 46dedce7..f73794a5 100644
--- a/lib/bcoin/block.js
+++ b/lib/bcoin/block.js
@@ -203,14 +203,19 @@ Block.prototype._verifyPartial = function _verifyPartial() {
 
 Block.prototype.getMerkleRoot = function getMerkleRoot() {
   var hashes = [];
-  var i;
+  var i, root;
 
   assert(this.subtype === 'block');
 
   for (i = 0; i < this.txs.length; i++)
     hashes.push(this.txs[i].hash());
 
-  return utils.getMerkleRoot(hashes);
+  root = utils.getMerkleRoot(hashes);
+
+  if (!root)
+    return utils.toHex(constants.zeroHash);
+
+  return utils.toHex(root);
 };
 
 Block.prototype._verify = function _verify() {
diff --git a/lib/bcoin/utils.js b/lib/bcoin/utils.js
index a6352dfb..c3596fe7 100644
--- a/lib/bcoin/utils.js
+++ b/lib/bcoin/utils.js
@@ -1620,5 +1620,5 @@ utils.getMerkleRoot = function getMerkleRoot(items) {
   if (!tree)
     return;
 
-  return utils.toHex(tree[tree.length - 1]);
+  return tree[tree.length - 1];
 };