2 files changed, 13 insertions, 2 deletions
diff --git a/utils/merkletrie/iter.go b/utils/merkletrie/iter.go
index c84f6fc..e3f3055 100644
--- a/utils/merkletrie/iter.go
+++ b/utils/merkletrie/iter.go
@@ -83,6 +83,10 @@ func newIter(root noder.Noder, base noder.Path) (*Iter, error) {
 		base: base,
 	}
 
+	if root == nil {
+		return ret, nil
+	}
+
 	frame, err := frame.New(root)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
diff --git a/utils/merkletrie/iter_test.go b/utils/merkletrie/iter_test.go
index 7e8c302..b334cf1 100644
--- a/utils/merkletrie/iter_test.go
+++ b/utils/merkletrie/iter_test.go
@@ -19,13 +19,13 @@ var _ = Suite(&IterSuite{})
 // A test is a list of operations we want to perform on an iterator and
 // their expected results.
 //
-// The operations are expresed as a sequence of `n` and `s`,
+// The operations are expressed as a sequence of `n` and `s`,
 // representing the amount of next and step operations we want to call
 // on the iterator and their order.  For example, an operations value of
 // "nns" means: call a `n`ext, then another `n`ext and finish with a
 // `s`tep.
 //
-// The expeced is the full path of the noders returned by the
+// The expected is the full path of the noders returned by the
 // operations, separated by spaces.
 //
 // For instance:
@@ -446,6 +446,13 @@ func (e *errorNoder) Children() ([]noder.Noder, error) {
 	return nil, fmt.Errorf("mock error")
 }
 
+func (s *IterSuite) TestNewIterNil(c *C) {
+	i, err := merkletrie.NewIter(nil)
+	c.Assert(err, IsNil)
+	_, err = i.Next()
+	c.Assert(err, Equals, io.EOF)
+}
+
 func (s *IterSuite) TestNewIterFailsOnChildrenErrors(c *C) {
 	_, err := merkletrie.NewIter(&errorNoder{})
 	c.Assert(err, ErrorMatches, "mock error")