diff --git a/ccnode/node.py b/ccnode/node.py
index c6bd154903a66c9216a920a20b4808799c4f04bc..fdb81a9633d83e3b057e5e65da5cf7b7b71f203f 100644
--- a/ccnode/node.py
+++ b/ccnode/node.py
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ class MainLoop(object):
         if sub_db is None:
             # FIXME should we also raise here ?
             logger.debug('Failed to find sub_id %s', sub_id)
-            return
+            return {}
 
         return get_tags(sub_db, tags, noresolve_tags)
     # End RPC handlers definitions