diff --git a/src/key.cpp b/src/key.cpp
index e5943af79..a845ba13d 100644
--- a/src/key.cpp
+++ b/src/key.cpp
@@ -227,6 +227,9 @@ public:
     }
 
     bool Verify(const 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();