diff --git a/src/encoding/block.hpp b/src/encoding/block.hpp
index b729bc2..45cf1ad 100644
--- a/src/encoding/block.hpp
+++ b/src/encoding/block.hpp
@@ -486,7 +486,7 @@
 Block::value() const
 {
   if (!hasValue())
-      throw Error("(Block::value) Underlying value buffer is empty");
+    return 0;
   
   return &*m_value_begin;
 }