diff --git a/src/hb-font.cc b/src/hb-font.cc
index 2475089df..96ff4f598 100644
--- a/src/hb-font.cc
+++ b/src/hb-font.cc
@@ -417,6 +417,8 @@ hb_face_reference_table (hb_face_t *face,
     return &_hb_blob_nil;
 
   blob = face->get_table (tag, face->user_data);
+  if (unlikely (!blob))
+    blob = hb_blob_create_empty();
 
   return blob;
 }
diff --git a/src/hb-open-type-private.hh b/src/hb-open-type-private.hh
index 8f3001b66..241c5a06e 100644
--- a/src/hb-open-type-private.hh
+++ b/src/hb-open-type-private.hh
@@ -286,9 +286,6 @@ struct Sanitizer
 
     /* TODO is_sane() stuff */
 
-    if (!blob)
-      return hb_blob_create_empty ();
-
   retry:
     (void) (HB_DEBUG_SANITIZE &&
       fprintf (stderr, "Sanitizer %p start %s\n", blob, HB_FUNC));