diff --git a/imports/ui/pages/lanes/helpers.js b/imports/ui/pages/lanes/helpers.js
index 62c4c81..7cdb66b 100644
--- a/imports/ui/pages/lanes/helpers.js
+++ b/imports/ui/pages/lanes/helpers.js
@@ -26,11 +26,13 @@ Template.lanes.helpers({
     let total = Session.get('total_lanes');
     let current = Lanes.find().count();
 
-    if (! total || current < total) return true;
+    if (total !== 0 && ! total || current < total) return true;
 
     return false;
   },
 
+  empty () { return Session.get('total_lanes') === 0; },
+
   lanes () {
     let lanes;
     let sort_by = Session.get('lanes_table_sort_by');
diff --git a/imports/ui/pages/lanes/lanes.html b/imports/ui/pages/lanes/lanes.html
index 27ec363..5c1eda8 100644
--- a/imports/ui/pages/lanes/lanes.html
+++ b/imports/ui/pages/lanes/lanes.html
@@ -30,6 +30,12 @@ <h1>Lanes</h1>
         </tr>
       {{/if}}
 
+      {{#if empty}}
+        <tr class="empty">
+          <td colspan=9>No lanes found.  <a href="/lanes/new/edit">Create the first.</a></td>
+        </tr>
+      {{/if}}
+
       {{#each lanes}}
         <tr>
           <td class="name-column">
diff --git a/imports/ui/pages/lanes/lib/util.js b/imports/ui/pages/lanes/lib/util.js
index e4bf757..95d0089 100644
--- a/imports/ui/pages/lanes/lib/util.js
+++ b/imports/ui/pages/lanes/lib/util.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { Shipments } from '../../../../api/shipments';
 
-const count = (lane) => {
+const count = (lane = { _id: false }) => {
   return Shipments.find({ lane: lane._id }).count();
 };