diff --git a/include/bitcoin/database/impl/query/confirm.ipp b/include/bitcoin/database/impl/query/confirm.ipp
index fee07e7ea..63142950b 100644
--- a/include/bitcoin/database/impl/query/confirm.ipp
+++ b/include/bitcoin/database/impl/query/confirm.ipp
@@ -710,6 +710,10 @@ bool CLASS::set_unstrong(const header_link& link) NOEXCEPT
 TEMPLATE
 bool CLASS::set_prevouts(size_t height, const block& block) NOEXCEPT
 {
+    // Empty or coinbase only implies no spends.
+    if (block.transactions() <= one)
+        return true;
+
     // ========================================================================
     const auto scope = store_.get_transactor();
 
diff --git a/include/bitcoin/database/tables/caches/prevout.hpp b/include/bitcoin/database/tables/caches/prevout.hpp
index bf3da50af..d2757177a 100644
--- a/include/bitcoin/database/tables/caches/prevout.hpp
+++ b/include/bitcoin/database/tables/caches/prevout.hpp
@@ -103,31 +103,24 @@ struct prevout
         inline bool to_data(finalizer& sink) const NOEXCEPT
         {
             const auto txs = *block.transactions_ptr();
-            if (txs.size() <= one)
-            {
-                // Empty or coinbase only implies no spends.
-                sink.invalidate();
-            }
-            else
-            {
-                const auto write_spend = [&](const auto& in) NOEXCEPT
-                {
-                    // Sets terminal sentinel for block-internal spends.
-                    const auto value = in->metadata.inside ? tx::terminal :
-                        merge(in->metadata.coinbase, in->metadata.parent);
+            BC_ASSERT_MSG(txs.size() > one, "empty block");
 
-                    sink.write_little_endian<tx::integer, tx::size>(value);
-                };
+            const auto write_spend = [&](const auto& in) NOEXCEPT
+            {
+                // Sets terminal sentinel for block-internal spends.
+                const auto value = in->metadata.inside ? tx::terminal :
+                    merge(in->metadata.coinbase, in->metadata.parent);
 
-                const auto write_tx = [&](const auto& tx) NOEXCEPT
-                {
-                    const auto& ins = tx->inputs_ptr();
-                    return std::for_each(ins->begin(), ins->end(), write_spend);
-                };
+                sink.write_little_endian<tx::integer, tx::size>(value);
+            };
 
-                std::for_each(std::next(txs.begin()), txs.end(), write_tx);
-            }
+            const auto write_tx = [&](const auto& tx) NOEXCEPT
+            {
+                const auto& ins = tx->inputs_ptr();
+                return std::for_each(ins->begin(), ins->end(), write_spend);
+            };
 
+            std::for_each(std::next(txs.begin()), txs.end(), write_tx);
             BC_ASSERT(!sink || (sink.get_write_position() == count() * minrow));
             return sink;
         }
diff --git a/test/tables/caches/prevout.cpp b/test/tables/caches/prevout.cpp
index e80582c7c..1ad2c1cfd 100644
--- a/test/tables/caches/prevout.cpp
+++ b/test/tables/caches/prevout.cpp
@@ -264,17 +264,18 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(prevout__put__merged_values__expected)
 
 // record_put_ref
 
-BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(prevout__record_put_ref__empty_block__false)
-{
-    test::chunk_storage head_store{};
-    test::chunk_storage body_store{};
-    table::prevout instance{ head_store, body_store, 5 };
-    BOOST_REQUIRE(instance.create());
-
-    const auto genesis = system::settings(selection::mainnet).genesis_block;
-    const auto record = table::prevout::record_put_ref{ {}, genesis };
-    BOOST_REQUIRE(!instance.put(4, record));
-}
+// Empty block is now guarded at the query level (set_prevouts(...)).
+////BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(prevout__record_put_ref__empty_block__false)
+////{
+////    test::chunk_storage head_store{};
+////    test::chunk_storage body_store{};
+////    table::prevout instance{ head_store, body_store, 5 };
+////    BOOST_REQUIRE(instance.create());
+////
+////    const auto genesis = system::settings(selection::mainnet).genesis_block;
+////    const auto record = table::prevout::record_put_ref{ {}, genesis };
+////    BOOST_REQUIRE(!instance.put(4, record));
+////}
 
 BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(prevout__put_ref__get_non_empty_block_with_default_metadata__inside_spend_terminals)
 {