diff --git a/trie/iterator_test.go b/trie/iterator_test.go
index 761d812bdfcc..909e74fd488f 100644
--- a/trie/iterator_test.go
+++ b/trie/iterator_test.go
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ func TestUnionIterator(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestIteratorNoDups(t *testing.T) {
-	var tr Trie
+	tr := newEmpty()
 	for _, val := range testdata1 {
 		tr.Update([]byte(val.k), []byte(val.v))
 	}