diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/server/SceneMoveHandler.java b/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/server/SceneMoveHandler.java
index b7e3cf20..1aa0c5ff 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/server/SceneMoveHandler.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/server/SceneMoveHandler.java
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ public class SceneMoveHandler extends AbstractSceneMoveHandler
             if (_version < model.version) {
                 updates = scmgr.getUpdates(_version);
             }
-            if (updates != null && updates.length > 0) {
+            if (updates != null) {
                 listener.moveSucceededWithUpdates(ploid, config, updates);
             } else {
                 listener.moveSucceededWithScene(ploid, config, model);
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/util/UpdateList.java b/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/util/UpdateList.java
index 662e459d..02210b4c 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/util/UpdateList.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/whirled/util/UpdateList.java
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ public class UpdateList
                 updates.add(update);
             }
         }
-        return updates.toArray(new SceneUpdate[updates.size()]);
+        return (updates.size() == 0) ? null : updates.toArray(new SceneUpdate[updates.size()]);
     }
 
     /**