diff --git a/src/key.cpp b/src/key.cpp
index 8a1bfef771a..7fcb17d574f 100644
--- a/src/key.cpp
+++ b/src/key.cpp
@@ -376,6 +376,9 @@ bool CKey::SetCompactSignature(uint256 hash, const std::vector<unsigned char>& v
 
 bool CKey::Verify(uint256 hash, const std::vector<unsigned char>& vchSig)
 {
+    if (vchSig.empty())
+        return false;
+
     // New versions of OpenSSL will reject non-canonical DER signatures. de/re-serialize first.
     unsigned char *norm_der = NULL;
     ECDSA_SIG *norm_sig = ECDSA_SIG_new();