diff --git a/src/Peer.cpp b/src/Peer.cpp
index 8fdeea74b..05a85da62 100644
--- a/src/Peer.cpp
+++ b/src/Peer.cpp
@@ -1056,7 +1056,7 @@ void Peer::recvGetLedger(ripple::TMGetLedger& packet)
 			{ // new-style root request
 				cLog(lsINFO) << "Ledger root w/map roots request";
 				SHAMap::pointer map = ledger->peekAccountStateMap();
-				if (map)
+				if (map && map->getHash().isNonZero())
 				{ // return account state root node if possible
 					Serializer rootNode(768);
 					if (map->getRootNode(rootNode, snfWIRE))
@@ -1065,7 +1065,7 @@ void Peer::recvGetLedger(ripple::TMGetLedger& packet)
 						if (ledger->getTransHash().isNonZero())
 						{
 							map = ledger->peekTransactionMap();
-							if (map)
+							if (map && map->getHash().isNonZero())
 							{
 								rootNode.resize(0);
 								if (map->getRootNode(rootNode, snfWIRE))