diff --git a/src/hb-font.cc b/src/hb-font.cc
index 93787c00f..a55deb348 100644
--- a/src/hb-font.cc
+++ b/src/hb-font.cc
@@ -364,7 +364,7 @@ hb_face_get_table (hb_face_t *face,
 
   blob = face->get_table (tag, face->user_data);
 
-  return likely (blob) ? blob : &_hb_blob_nil;
+  return blob;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/hb-font.h b/src/hb-font.h
index 433d31a3b..89324faa2 100644
--- a/src/hb-font.h
+++ b/src/hb-font.h
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ hb_face_get_reference_count (hb_face_t *face);
 void
 hb_face_destroy (hb_face_t *face);
 
+/* Returns NULL if not found */
 hb_blob_t *
 hb_face_get_table (hb_face_t *face,
 		   hb_tag_t   tag);
diff --git a/src/hb-open-type-private.hh b/src/hb-open-type-private.hh
index 2ab639c4c..d2fbb2101 100644
--- a/src/hb-open-type-private.hh
+++ b/src/hb-open-type-private.hh
@@ -283,6 +283,9 @@ struct Sanitizer
 
     /* TODO is_sane() stuff */
 
+    if (!blob)
+      return hb_blob_create_empty ();
+
   retry:
     if (HB_DEBUG_SANITIZE)
       fprintf (stderr, "Sanitizer %p start %s\n", blob, HB_FUNC);