diff --git a/filter/config.Y b/filter/config.Y
index 53884bb7..194e312d 100644
--- a/filter/config.Y
+++ b/filter/config.Y
@@ -207,11 +207,11 @@ f_generate_empty(const struct symbol *sym)
     cf_error("Can't empty %s: not an attribute", sym->name);
 
   const struct ea_class *def = sym->attribute;
-  const struct f_val *empty = f_get_empty(def->type);
-  if (!empty)
+  const struct f_val empty = f_get_empty(def->type);
+  if (empty.type == T_VOID)
     cf_error("Can't empty attribute %s", def->name);
 
-  return f_new_inst(FI_EA_SET, f_new_inst(FI_CONSTANT, *empty), def);
+  return f_new_inst(FI_EA_SET, f_new_inst(FI_CONSTANT, empty), def);
 }
 
 static inline struct f_inst *
@@ -875,10 +875,10 @@ term:
  | dynamic_attr '.' RESET{ }
 */
 
- | '+' EMPTY '+' { $$ = f_new_inst(FI_CONSTANT, f_const_empty_path); }
- | '-' EMPTY '-' { $$ = f_new_inst(FI_CONSTANT, f_const_empty_clist); }
- | '-' '-' EMPTY '-' '-' { $$ = f_new_inst(FI_CONSTANT, f_const_empty_eclist); }
- | '-' '-' '-' EMPTY '-' '-' '-' { $$ = f_new_inst(FI_CONSTANT, f_const_empty_lclist); }
+ | '+' EMPTY '+' { $$ = f_new_inst(FI_CONSTANT, f_get_empty(T_PATH)); }
+ | '-' EMPTY '-' { $$ = f_new_inst(FI_CONSTANT, f_get_empty(T_CLIST)); }
+ | '-' '-' EMPTY '-' '-' { $$ = f_new_inst(FI_CONSTANT, f_get_empty(T_ECLIST)); }
+ | '-' '-' '-' EMPTY '-' '-' '-' { $$ = f_new_inst(FI_CONSTANT, f_get_empty(T_LCLIST)); }
  | PREPEND '(' term ',' term ')' { $$ = f_new_inst(FI_PATH_PREPEND, $3, $5); }
  | ADD '(' term ',' term ')' { $$ = f_new_inst(FI_CLIST_ADD, $3, $5); }
  | DELETE '(' term ',' term ')' { $$ = f_new_inst(FI_CLIST_DEL, $3, $5); }
diff --git a/filter/data.c b/filter/data.c
index 9794f230..68f834a2 100644
--- a/filter/data.c
+++ b/filter/data.c
@@ -81,20 +81,7 @@ f_type_element_type(btype t)
 }
 
 const struct f_trie f_const_empty_trie = { .ipv4 = -1, };
-
-const struct f_val f_const_empty_path = {
-  .type = T_PATH,
-  .val.ad = &null_adata,
-}, f_const_empty_clist = {
-  .type = T_CLIST,
-  .val.ad = &null_adata,
-}, f_const_empty_eclist = {
-  .type = T_ECLIST,
-  .val.ad = &null_adata,
-}, f_const_empty_lclist = {
-  .type = T_LCLIST,
-  .val.ad = &null_adata,
-}, f_const_empty_prefix_set = {
+const struct f_val f_const_empty_prefix_set = {
   .type = T_PREFIX_SET,
   .val.ti = &f_const_empty_trie,
 };
diff --git a/filter/data.h b/filter/data.h
index b5db4aec..cecb7bd5 100644
--- a/filter/data.h
+++ b/filter/data.h
@@ -242,15 +242,20 @@ undef_value(struct f_val v)
     (v.val.ad == &null_adata);
 }
 
-extern const struct f_val f_const_empty_path, f_const_empty_clist, f_const_empty_eclist, f_const_empty_lclist, f_const_empty_prefix_set;
-static inline const struct f_val *f_get_empty(btype t)
+extern const struct f_val f_const_empty_prefix_set;
+static inline struct f_val f_get_empty(btype t)
 {
   switch (t) {
-    case T_PATH:	return &f_const_empty_path;
-    case T_CLIST:	return &f_const_empty_clist;
-    case T_ECLIST:	return &f_const_empty_eclist;
-    case T_LCLIST:	return &f_const_empty_lclist;
-    default:		return NULL;
+    case T_PATH:
+    case T_CLIST:
+    case T_ECLIST:
+    case T_LCLIST:
+      return (struct f_val) {
+	.type = t,
+	.val.ad = &null_adata,
+      };
+    default:
+      return (struct f_val) { .type = T_VOID };
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/filter/f-inst.c b/filter/f-inst.c
index bc5477a3..de5314fc 100644
--- a/filter/f-inst.c
+++ b/filter/f-inst.c
@@ -873,7 +873,7 @@
     ACCESS_RTE;
     RESULT_TYPE(da->type);
     {
-      const struct f_val *empty;
+      struct f_val empty;
       const eattr *e = ea_find(fs->rte->attrs, da->id);
 
       if (e)
@@ -891,8 +891,8 @@
 		}]]);
 	}
       }
-      else if (empty = f_get_empty(da->type))
-	RESULT_VAL(*empty);
+      else if ((empty = f_get_empty(da->type)).type != T_VOID)
+	RESULT_VAL(empty);
       else
 	RESULT_VOID;
     }