diff --git a/src/TiledArray/tensor/tensor.h b/src/TiledArray/tensor/tensor.h
index ed0500d7e7..19452eb233 100644
--- a/src/TiledArray/tensor/tensor.h
+++ b/src/TiledArray/tensor/tensor.h
@@ -636,7 +636,7 @@ class Tensor {
 
   /// \return \c true if this tensor was default constructed (contains no
   /// data), otherwise \c false.
-  bool empty() const { return !this->data_; }
+  bool empty() const { return this->data_.use_count() == 0; }
 
   /// MADNESS serialization function
 
diff --git a/src/TiledArray/tensor/utility.h b/src/TiledArray/tensor/utility.h
index 6ba90f2fb3..6526691cb7 100644
--- a/src/TiledArray/tensor/utility.h
+++ b/src/TiledArray/tensor/utility.h
@@ -316,8 +316,8 @@ inline typename T::size_type inner_size(const T& tensor) {
 /// This function is used as the termination step for the recursive empty()
 /// function. It also handles the case where there are no tensors in the
 /// list.
-/// \return \c true
-inline constexpr bool empty() { return true; }
+/// \return \c false
+inline constexpr bool empty() { return false; }
 
 /// Test for empty tensors