diff --git a/rpc/backend/account_info.go b/rpc/backend/account_info.go
index 452b3fafa2..8d1e7b4474 100644
--- a/rpc/backend/account_info.go
+++ b/rpc/backend/account_info.go
@@ -37,14 +37,17 @@ func (b *Backend) GetCode(address common.Address, blockNrOrHash rpctypes.BlockNu
 
 // GetHexProofs returns list of hex data of proof op
 func GetHexProofs(proof *crypto.ProofOps) []string {
+	if proof == nil {
+		return []string{""}
+	}
 	var proofs []string
 	// check for proof
-	if proof != nil {
-		for _, p := range proof.Ops {
-			if len(p.Data) > 0 {
-				proofs = append(proofs, hexutil.Encode(p.Data))
-			}
+	for _, p := range proof.Ops {
+		proof := ""
+		if len(p.Data) > 0 {
+			proof = hexutil.Encode(p.Data)
 		}
+		proofs = append(proofs, proof)
 	}
 	return proofs
 }
diff --git a/rpc/backend/account_info_test.go b/rpc/backend/account_info_test.go
index f214d30ee7..4b6d8a0b7a 100644
--- a/rpc/backend/account_info_test.go
+++ b/rpc/backend/account_info_test.go
@@ -395,6 +395,7 @@ func mookProofs(num int, withData bool) *crypto.ProofOps {
 }
 
 func (suite *BackendTestSuite) TestGetHexProofs() {
+	defaultRes := []string{""}
 	testCases := []struct {
 		name  string
 		proof *crypto.ProofOps
@@ -403,12 +404,12 @@ func (suite *BackendTestSuite) TestGetHexProofs() {
 		{
 			"no proof provided",
 			mookProofs(0, false),
-			nil,
+			defaultRes,
 		},
 		{
 			"no proof data provided",
-			mookProofs(0, false),
-			nil,
+			mookProofs(1, false),
+			defaultRes,
 		},
 		{
 			"valid proof provided",