diff --git a/libraries/chain/db_maint.cpp b/libraries/chain/db_maint.cpp
index 1e3310ae..8923d55c 100644
--- a/libraries/chain/db_maint.cpp
+++ b/libraries/chain/db_maint.cpp
@@ -455,61 +455,68 @@ void database::update_active_sons()
       });
    });
 
-   if(gpo.parameters.get_son_btc_account_id() == GRAPHENE_NULL_ACCOUNT) {
-      const auto& son_btc_account = create<account_object>( [&]( account_object& obj ) {
-         uint64_t total_votes = 0;
-         obj.name = "son_btc_account";
-         obj.statistics = create<account_statistics_object>([&]( account_statistics_object& acc_stat ){ acc_stat.owner = obj.id; }).id;
-         obj.membership_expiration_date = time_point_sec::maximum();
-         obj.network_fee_percentage = GRAPHENE_DEFAULT_NETWORK_PERCENT_OF_FEE;
-         obj.lifetime_referrer_fee_percentage = GRAPHENE_100_PERCENT - GRAPHENE_DEFAULT_NETWORK_PERCENT_OF_FEE;
+   if(gpo.active_sons.size() > 0 ) {
+      if(gpo.parameters.get_son_btc_account_id() == GRAPHENE_NULL_ACCOUNT) {
+         const auto& son_btc_account = create<account_object>( [&]( account_object& obj ) {
+            uint64_t total_votes = 0;
+            obj.name = "son_btc_account";
+            obj.statistics = create<account_statistics_object>([&]( account_statistics_object& acc_stat ){ acc_stat.owner = obj.id; }).id;
+            obj.membership_expiration_date = time_point_sec::maximum();
+            obj.network_fee_percentage = GRAPHENE_DEFAULT_NETWORK_PERCENT_OF_FEE;
+            obj.lifetime_referrer_fee_percentage = GRAPHENE_100_PERCENT - GRAPHENE_DEFAULT_NETWORK_PERCENT_OF_FEE;
 
-         for( const son_object& son : gpo.active_sons )
-         {
-            total_votes += _vote_tally_buffer[son.vote_id];
-         }
-         // total_votes is 64 bits. Subtract the number of leading low bits from 64 to get the number of useful bits,
-         // then I want to keep the most significant 16 bits of what's left.
-         int8_t bits_to_drop = std::max(int(boost::multiprecision::detail::find_msb(total_votes)) - 15, 0);
-         for( const son_object& son : gpo.active_sons )
-         {
-            // Ensure that everyone has at least one vote. Zero weights aren't allowed.
-            uint16_t votes = std::max((_vote_tally_buffer[son.vote_id] >> bits_to_drop), uint64_t(1) );
-            obj.active.account_auths[son.son_account] += votes;
-            obj.active.weight_threshold += votes;
-         }
-         obj.active.weight_threshold *= 2;
-         obj.active.weight_threshold /= 3;
-         obj.active.weight_threshold += 1;
-      });
+            for( const auto& son_id : gpo.active_sons )
+            {
+               const son_object& son = get(son_id);
+               total_votes += _vote_tally_buffer[son.vote_id];
+            }
+            // total_votes is 64 bits. Subtract the number of leading low bits from 64 to get the number of useful bits,
+            // then I want to keep the most significant 16 bits of what's left.
+            int8_t bits_to_drop = std::max(int(boost::multiprecision::detail::find_msb(total_votes)) - 15, 0);
 
-      modify( gpo, [&]( global_property_object& gpo ) {
-         gpo.parameters.extensions.value.son_btc_account = son_btc_account;
-         if( gpo.pending_parameters )
-            gpo.pending_parameters->extensions.value.son_btc_account = son_btc_account;
-      });
-   } else {
-      modify( get(gpo.parameters.get_son_btc_account_id()), [&]( account_object& obj )
-      {
-         uint64_t total_votes = 0;
-         for( const son_object& son : gpo.active_sons )
+            for( const auto& son_id : gpo.active_sons )
+            {
+               // Ensure that everyone has at least one vote. Zero weights aren't allowed.
+               const son_object& son = get(son_id);
+               uint16_t votes = std::max((_vote_tally_buffer[son.vote_id] >> bits_to_drop), uint64_t(1) );
+               obj.active.account_auths[son.son_account] += votes;
+               obj.active.weight_threshold += votes;
+            }
+            obj.active.weight_threshold *= 2;
+            obj.active.weight_threshold /= 3;
+            obj.active.weight_threshold += 1;
+         });
+
+         modify( gpo, [&]( global_property_object& gpo ) {
+            gpo.parameters.extensions.value.son_btc_account = son_btc_account.get_id();
+            if( gpo.pending_parameters )
+               gpo.pending_parameters->extensions.value.son_btc_account = son_btc_account.get_id();
+         });
+      } else {
+         modify( get(gpo.parameters.get_son_btc_account_id()), [&]( account_object& obj )
          {
-            total_votes += _vote_tally_buffer[son.vote_id];
-         }
-         // total_votes is 64 bits. Subtract the number of leading low bits from 64 to get the number of useful bits,
-         // then I want to keep the most significant 16 bits of what's left.
-         int8_t bits_to_drop = std::max(int(boost::multiprecision::detail::find_msb(total_votes)) - 15, 0);
-         for( const son_object& son : gpo.active_sons )
-         {
-            // Ensure that everyone has at least one vote. Zero weights aren't allowed.
-            uint16_t votes = std::max((_vote_tally_buffer[son.vote_id] >> bits_to_drop), uint64_t(1) );
-            obj.active.account_auths[son.son_account] += votes;
-            obj.active.weight_threshold += votes;
-         }
-         obj.active.weight_threshold *= 2;
-         obj.active.weight_threshold /= 3;
-         obj.active.weight_threshold += 1;
-      });
+            uint64_t total_votes = 0;
+            for( const auto& son_id : gpo.active_sons )
+            {
+               const son_object& son = get(son_id);
+               total_votes += _vote_tally_buffer[son.vote_id];
+            }
+            // total_votes is 64 bits. Subtract the number of leading low bits from 64 to get the number of useful bits,
+            // then I want to keep the most significant 16 bits of what's left.
+            int8_t bits_to_drop = std::max(int(boost::multiprecision::detail::find_msb(total_votes)) - 15, 0);
+            for( const auto& son_id : gpo.active_sons )
+            {
+               // Ensure that everyone has at least one vote. Zero weights aren't allowed.
+               const son_object& son = get(son_id);
+               uint16_t votes = std::max((_vote_tally_buffer[son.vote_id] >> bits_to_drop), uint64_t(1) );
+               obj.active.account_auths[son.son_account] += votes;
+               obj.active.weight_threshold += votes;
+            }
+            obj.active.weight_threshold *= 2;
+            obj.active.weight_threshold /= 3;
+            obj.active.weight_threshold += 1;
+         });
+      }
    }
 } FC_CAPTURE_AND_RETHROW() }
 
diff --git a/libraries/chain/include/graphene/chain/protocol/chain_parameters.hpp b/libraries/chain/include/graphene/chain/protocol/chain_parameters.hpp
index 9dcd5aad..51024e16 100644
--- a/libraries/chain/include/graphene/chain/protocol/chain_parameters.hpp
+++ b/libraries/chain/include/graphene/chain/protocol/chain_parameters.hpp
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ namespace graphene { namespace chain {
       optional < uint32_t >           son_vesting_amount;
       optional < uint32_t >           son_vesting_period;
       optional < uint32_t >           son_pay_daily_max;
-      optional < graphene::chain::account_id_type > son_btc_account;
+      optional < account_id_type >    son_btc_account;
    };
 
    struct chain_parameters
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ namespace graphene { namespace chain {
       inline uint16_t son_pay_daily_max()const {
          return extensions.value.son_pay_daily_max.valid() ? *extensions.value.son_pay_daily_max : MIN_SON_PAY_DAILY_MAX;
       }
-      inline const account_id_type& get_son_btc_account_id() const {
+      inline account_id_type get_son_btc_account_id() const {
          return extensions.value.son_btc_account.valid() ? *extensions.value.son_btc_account : GRAPHENE_NULL_ACCOUNT;
       }
    };