diff --git a/arrayfire/array.py b/arrayfire/array.py
index 57f557485..d9674dbc6 100644
--- a/arrayfire/array.py
+++ b/arrayfire/array.py
@@ -54,6 +54,9 @@ def _create_strided_array(buf, numdims, idims, dtype, is_device, offset, strides
 
 def _create_empty_array(numdims, idims, dtype):
     out_arr = c_void_ptr_t(0)
+
+    if numdims == 0: return out_arr
+
     c_dims = dim4(idims[0], idims[1], idims[2], idims[3])
     safe_call(backend.get().af_create_handle(c_pointer(out_arr),
                                              numdims, c_pointer(c_dims), dtype.value))
@@ -382,7 +385,7 @@ class Array(BaseArray):
     # arrayfire's __radd__() instead of numpy's __add__()
     __array_priority__ = 30
 
-    def __init__(self, src=None, dims=(0,), dtype=None, is_device=False, offset=None, strides=None):
+    def __init__(self, src=None, dims=None, dtype=None, is_device=False, offset=None, strides=None):
 
         super(Array, self).__init__()
 
@@ -449,10 +452,12 @@ def __init__(self, src=None, dims=(0,), dtype=None, is_device=False, offset=None
             if type_char is None:
                 type_char = 'f'
 
-            numdims = len(dims)
+            numdims = len(dims) if dims else 0
+
             idims = [1] * 4
             for n in range(numdims):
                 idims[n] = dims[n]
+
             self.arr = _create_empty_array(numdims, idims, to_dtype[type_char])
 
     def as_type(self, ty):