diff --git a/service/policy/db/utils.go b/service/policy/db/utils.go
index ee77ea7ca..8dbe7b85c 100644
--- a/service/policy/db/utils.go
+++ b/service/policy/db/utils.go
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ func unmarshalObligationTrigger(triggerJSON []byte) (*policy.ObligationTrigger,
 
 func unmarshalObligations(obligationsJSON []byte) ([]*policy.Obligation, error) {
 	if obligationsJSON == nil {
-		return make([]*policy.Obligation, 0), nil
+		return nil, nil
 	}
 
 	raw := []json.RawMessage{}