diff --git a/src/hb-blob.cc b/src/hb-blob.cc
index 83a75f643..db1275803 100644
--- a/src/hb-blob.cc
+++ b/src/hb-blob.cc
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ hb_blob_create_sub_blob (hb_blob_t    *parent,
 }
 
 hb_blob_t *
-hb_blob_create_empty (void)
+hb_blob_get_empty (void)
 {
   return &_hb_blob_nil;
 }
diff --git a/src/hb-blob.h b/src/hb-blob.h
index d698ee28a..8bfbd48e5 100644
--- a/src/hb-blob.h
+++ b/src/hb-blob.h
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ hb_blob_create_sub_blob (hb_blob_t    *parent,
 			 unsigned int  length);
 
 hb_blob_t *
-hb_blob_create_empty (void);
+hb_blob_get_empty (void);
 
 hb_blob_t *
 hb_blob_reference (hb_blob_t *blob);
diff --git a/src/hb-font.cc b/src/hb-font.cc
index 0a62fe3e4..91dde4590 100644
--- a/src/hb-font.cc
+++ b/src/hb-font.cc
@@ -443,7 +443,7 @@ hb_face_reference_table (hb_face_t *face,
 
   blob = face->get_table (tag, face->user_data);
   if (unlikely (!blob))
-    blob = hb_blob_create_empty();
+    blob = hb_blob_get_empty();
 
   return blob;
 }
diff --git a/src/hb-open-type-private.hh b/src/hb-open-type-private.hh
index af8274dc5..20df95ba4 100644
--- a/src/hb-open-type-private.hh
+++ b/src/hb-open-type-private.hh
@@ -334,7 +334,7 @@ struct Sanitizer
       return blob;
     else {
       hb_blob_destroy (blob);
-      return hb_blob_create_empty ();
+      return hb_blob_get_empty ();
     }
   }