diff --git a/include/cppkafka/header_list.h b/include/cppkafka/header_list.h
index b0d3ab4..45115ee 100644
--- a/include/cppkafka/header_list.h
+++ b/include/cppkafka/header_list.h
@@ -279,16 +279,13 @@ bool HeaderList<HeaderType>::empty() const {
 template <typename HeaderType>
 typename HeaderList<HeaderType>::Iterator
 HeaderList<HeaderType>::begin() const {
-    if (empty()) {
-        return end();
-    }
-    return Iterator(make_non_owning(handle_.get()), 0);
+    return empty() ? end() : Iterator(make_non_owning(handle_.get()), 0);
 }
 
 template <typename HeaderType>
 typename HeaderList<HeaderType>::Iterator
 HeaderList<HeaderType>::end() const {
-    return Iterator(make_non_owning(handle_.get()), size());
+    return Iterator(empty() ? HeaderList<HeaderType>() : make_non_owning(handle_.get()), size());
 }
 
 template <typename HeaderType>
diff --git a/include/cppkafka/header_list_iterator.h b/include/cppkafka/header_list_iterator.h
index 226c3e2..e226b6d 100644
--- a/include/cppkafka/header_list_iterator.h
+++ b/include/cppkafka/header_list_iterator.h
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ private:
     HeaderIterator(HeaderListType headers,
                    size_t index)
     : header_list_(std::move(headers)),
-      header_(index == header_list_.size() ? HeaderType() : header_list_.at(index)),
+      header_(header_list_.empty() ? HeaderType() : header_list_.at(index)),
       index_(index) {
     }
     
diff --git a/include/cppkafka/message_builder.h b/include/cppkafka/message_builder.h
index 981e120..d7dd9b0 100644
--- a/include/cppkafka/message_builder.h
+++ b/include/cppkafka/message_builder.h
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ BasicMessageBuilder<T, C>::BasicMessageBuilder(const Message& message)
   key_(Buffer(message.get_key().get_data(), message.get_key().get_size())),
 #if (RD_KAFKA_VERSION >= RD_KAFKA_HEADERS_SUPPORT_VERSION)
   header_list_(message.get_header_list() ?
-               rd_kafka_headers_copy(message.get_header_list().get_handle()) : nullptr), //copy headers
+               HeaderListType(rd_kafka_headers_copy(message.get_header_list().get_handle())) : HeaderListType()), //copy headers
 #endif
   payload_(Buffer(message.get_payload().get_data(), message.get_payload().get_size())),
   timestamp_(message.get_timestamp() ? message.get_timestamp().get().get_timestamp() :
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ BasicMessageBuilder<T, C>::BasicMessageBuilder(const BasicMessageBuilder<U, V>&
   partition_(rhs.partition()),
 #if (RD_KAFKA_VERSION >= RD_KAFKA_HEADERS_SUPPORT_VERSION)
   header_list_(rhs.header_list() ?
-               rd_kafka_headers_copy(rhs.header_list().get_handle()) : nullptr), //copy headers
+               HeaderListType(rd_kafka_headers_copy(rhs.header_list().get_handle())) : HeaderListType()), //copy headers
 #endif
   timestamp_(rhs.timestamp()),
   user_data_(rhs.user_data()),
@@ -278,7 +278,7 @@ BasicMessageBuilder<T, C>::BasicMessageBuilder(BasicMessageBuilder<U, V>&& rhs)
   partition_(rhs.partition()),
 #if (RD_KAFKA_VERSION >= RD_KAFKA_HEADERS_SUPPORT_VERSION)
   header_list_(rhs.header_list() ?
-               rhs.header_list().release_handle() : nullptr), //assume header ownership
+               HeaderListType(rhs.header_list().release_handle()) : HeaderListType()), //assume header ownership
 #endif
   timestamp_(rhs.timestamp()),
   user_data_(rhs.user_data()),