1 files changed, 11 insertions, 10 deletions
diff --git a/src/rope.rs b/src/rope.rs
index 3d72833..c176da3 100644
--- a/src/rope.rs
+++ b/src/rope.rs
@@ -60,14 +60,12 @@ impl Rope {
         }
     }
 
-    fn empty() -> Rope {
-        Rope(Node::Leaf(Leaf {
-            unsafe_buf: None,
-            start: 0,
-            end: 0,
-            lines: 0,
-        }))
-    }
+    const EMPTY: Rope = Rope(Node::Leaf(Leaf{
+        unsafe_buf: None,
+        start: 0,
+        end: 0,
+        lines: 0,
+    }));
 
     fn leaf(buf: &[u8]) -> Rope {
         if buf.len() > MAX_NODE_SIZE {
@@ -207,7 +205,7 @@ impl Rope {
 
     pub fn read(r: &mut dyn Read) -> Result<Rope, std::io::Error> {
         let mut buf = vec![0; MAX_NODE_SIZE];
-        let mut rope = Rope::empty();
+        let mut rope = Rope::EMPTY;
         loop {
             let n = match r.read(&mut buf) {
                 Ok(n) => n,
@@ -227,6 +225,9 @@ impl Rope {
     }
 
     pub fn new(buf: &[u8]) -> Rope {
+        if buf.is_empty() {
+            return Rope::EMPTY;
+        }
         if buf.len() <= MAX_NODE_SIZE {
             return Rope::leaf(buf);
         }
@@ -361,7 +362,7 @@ impl Rope {
                 }))
             }
             Rope(Node::Branch(b)) => {
-                let mut s = Rope::empty();
+                let mut s = Rope::EMPTY;
                 let mut start = start;
                 let mut end = end;
                 for c in b.children.iter() {