diff --git a/x/bank/internal/keeper/querier.go b/x/bank/internal/keeper/querier.go
index 5a0fd3910613..bf303e2930fa 100644
--- a/x/bank/internal/keeper/querier.go
+++ b/x/bank/internal/keeper/querier.go
@@ -37,7 +37,12 @@ func queryBalance(ctx sdk.Context, req abci.RequestQuery, k Keeper) ([]byte, sdk
 		return nil, sdk.ErrInternal(fmt.Sprintf("failed to parse params: %s", err))
 	}
 
-	bz, err := codec.MarshalJSONIndent(types.ModuleCdc, k.GetCoins(ctx, params.Address))
+	coins := k.GetCoins(ctx, params.Address)
+	if coins == nil {
+		coins = sdk.NewCoins()
+	}
+
+	bz, err := codec.MarshalJSONIndent(types.ModuleCdc, coins)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, sdk.ErrInternal(sdk.AppendMsgToErr("could not marshal result to JSON", err.Error()))
 	}
diff --git a/x/distribution/keeper/querier.go b/x/distribution/keeper/querier.go
index 27c657cb49a9..a057340340db 100644
--- a/x/distribution/keeper/querier.go
+++ b/x/distribution/keeper/querier.go
@@ -85,7 +85,11 @@ func queryValidatorOutstandingRewards(ctx sdk.Context, path []string, req abci.R
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, sdk.ErrUnknownRequest(sdk.AppendMsgToErr("incorrectly formatted request data", err.Error()))
 	}
-	bz, err := codec.MarshalJSONIndent(k.cdc, k.GetValidatorOutstandingRewards(ctx, params.ValidatorAddress))
+	rewards := k.GetValidatorOutstandingRewards(ctx, params.ValidatorAddress)
+	if rewards == nil {
+		rewards = sdk.DecCoins{}
+	}
+	bz, err := codec.MarshalJSONIndent(k.cdc, rewards)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, sdk.ErrInternal(sdk.AppendMsgToErr("could not marshal result to JSON", err.Error()))
 	}
@@ -99,6 +103,9 @@ func queryValidatorCommission(ctx sdk.Context, path []string, req abci.RequestQu
 		return nil, sdk.ErrUnknownRequest(sdk.AppendMsgToErr("incorrectly formatted request data", err.Error()))
 	}
 	commission := k.GetValidatorAccumulatedCommission(ctx, params.ValidatorAddress)
+	if commission == nil {
+		commission = sdk.DecCoins{}
+	}
 	bz, err := codec.MarshalJSONIndent(k.cdc, commission)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, sdk.ErrInternal(sdk.AppendMsgToErr("could not marshal result to JSON", err.Error()))
@@ -150,6 +157,9 @@ func queryDelegationRewards(ctx sdk.Context, _ []string, req abci.RequestQuery,
 
 	endingPeriod := k.incrementValidatorPeriod(ctx, val)
 	rewards := k.calculateDelegationRewards(ctx, val, del, endingPeriod)
+	if rewards == nil {
+		rewards = sdk.DecCoins{}
+	}
 
 	bz, err := codec.MarshalJSONIndent(k.cdc, rewards)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -242,7 +252,11 @@ func queryDelegatorWithdrawAddress(ctx sdk.Context, _ []string, req abci.Request
 }
 
 func queryCommunityPool(ctx sdk.Context, _ []string, req abci.RequestQuery, k Keeper) ([]byte, sdk.Error) {
-	bz, err := k.cdc.MarshalJSON(k.GetFeePoolCommunityCoins(ctx))
+	pool := k.GetFeePoolCommunityCoins(ctx)
+	if pool == nil {
+		pool = sdk.DecCoins{}
+	}
+	bz, err := k.cdc.MarshalJSON(pool)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, sdk.ErrInternal(sdk.AppendMsgToErr("could not marshal result to JSON", err.Error()))
 	}
diff --git a/x/gov/keeper/querier.go b/x/gov/keeper/querier.go
index 4ff43af6b973..b27f8fa54e5b 100644
--- a/x/gov/keeper/querier.go
+++ b/x/gov/keeper/querier.go
@@ -130,6 +130,9 @@ func queryDeposits(ctx sdk.Context, path []string, req abci.RequestQuery, keeper
 	}
 
 	deposits := keeper.GetDeposits(ctx, params.ProposalID)
+	if deposits == nil {
+		deposits = types.Deposits{}
+	}
 
 	bz, err := codec.MarshalJSONIndent(keeper.cdc, deposits)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -182,6 +185,9 @@ func queryVotes(ctx sdk.Context, path []string, req abci.RequestQuery, keeper Ke
 	}
 
 	votes := keeper.GetVotes(ctx, params.ProposalID)
+	if votes == nil {
+		votes = types.Votes{}
+	}
 
 	bz, err := codec.MarshalJSONIndent(keeper.cdc, votes)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -198,7 +204,12 @@ func queryProposals(ctx sdk.Context, _ []string, req abci.RequestQuery, keeper K
 		return nil, sdk.ErrUnknownRequest(sdk.AppendMsgToErr("failed to parse params", err.Error()))
 	}
 
-	bz, err := codec.MarshalJSONIndent(keeper.cdc, keeper.GetProposalsFiltered(ctx, params))
+	proposals := keeper.GetProposalsFiltered(ctx, params)
+	if proposals == nil {
+		proposals = types.Proposals{}
+	}
+
+	bz, err := codec.MarshalJSONIndent(keeper.cdc, proposals)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, sdk.ErrInternal(sdk.AppendMsgToErr("failed to JSON marshal result: %s", err.Error()))
 	}
diff --git a/x/staking/keeper/querier.go b/x/staking/keeper/querier.go
index 3e3ced157c23..d97bb07b10ef 100644
--- a/x/staking/keeper/querier.go
+++ b/x/staking/keeper/querier.go
@@ -115,6 +115,10 @@ func queryValidatorDelegations(ctx sdk.Context, req abci.RequestQuery, k Keeper)
 		return nil, sdk.ErrInternal(err.Error())
 	}
 
+	if delegationResps == nil {
+		delegationResps = types.DelegationResponses{}
+	}
+
 	res, err := codec.MarshalJSONIndent(types.ModuleCdc, delegationResps)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, sdk.ErrInternal(sdk.AppendMsgToErr("failed to marshal result to JSON", err.Error()))
@@ -132,6 +136,9 @@ func queryValidatorUnbondingDelegations(ctx sdk.Context, req abci.RequestQuery,
 	}
 
 	unbonds := k.GetUnbondingDelegationsFromValidator(ctx, params.ValidatorAddr)
+	if unbonds == nil {
+		unbonds = types.UnbondingDelegations{}
+	}
 
 	res, err := codec.MarshalJSONIndent(types.ModuleCdc, unbonds)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -155,6 +162,10 @@ func queryDelegatorDelegations(ctx sdk.Context, req abci.RequestQuery, k Keeper)
 		return nil, sdk.ErrInternal(err.Error())
 	}
 
+	if delegationResps == nil {
+		delegationResps = types.DelegationResponses{}
+	}
+
 	res, err := codec.MarshalJSONIndent(types.ModuleCdc, delegationResps)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, sdk.ErrInternal(sdk.AppendMsgToErr("failed to marshal result to JSON", err.Error()))
@@ -172,6 +183,9 @@ func queryDelegatorUnbondingDelegations(ctx sdk.Context, req abci.RequestQuery,
 	}
 
 	unbondingDelegations := k.GetAllUnbondingDelegations(ctx, params.DelegatorAddr)
+	if unbondingDelegations == nil {
+		unbondingDelegations = types.UnbondingDelegations{}
+	}
 
 	res, err := codec.MarshalJSONIndent(types.ModuleCdc, unbondingDelegations)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -192,6 +206,9 @@ func queryDelegatorValidators(ctx sdk.Context, req abci.RequestQuery, k Keeper)
 	}
 
 	validators := k.GetDelegatorValidators(ctx, params.DelegatorAddr, stakingParams.MaxValidators)
+	if validators == nil {
+		validators = types.Validators{}
+	}
 
 	res, err := codec.MarshalJSONIndent(types.ModuleCdc, validators)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -298,6 +315,10 @@ func queryRedelegations(ctx sdk.Context, req abci.RequestQuery, k Keeper) ([]byt
 		return nil, sdk.ErrInternal(err.Error())
 	}
 
+	if redelResponses == nil {
+		redelResponses = types.RedelegationResponses{}
+	}
+
 	res, err := codec.MarshalJSONIndent(types.ModuleCdc, redelResponses)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, sdk.ErrInternal(sdk.AppendMsgToErr("failed to marshal result to JSON", err.Error()))