diff --git a/src/net/socialgamer/cah/data/Game.java b/src/net/socialgamer/cah/data/Game.java
index 7893332..d66ec96 100644
--- a/src/net/socialgamer/cah/data/Game.java
+++ b/src/net/socialgamer/cah/data/Game.java
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ import java.util.Set;
 import java.util.Timer;
 import java.util.TimerTask;
 
+import javax.annotation.Nonnull;
 import javax.annotation.Nullable;
 
 import net.socialgamer.cah.Constants.BlackCardData;
@@ -1210,6 +1211,7 @@ public class Game {
    *          User whose hand to convert to client data.
    * @return Client representation of {@code user}'s hand.
    */
+  @Nonnull
   public List<Map<WhiteCardData, Object>> getHand(final User user) {
     final Player player = getPlayerForUser(user);
     if (player != null) {
@@ -1218,7 +1220,7 @@ public class Game {
         return getWhiteCardData(hand);
       }
     } else {
-      return null;
+      return new ArrayList<Map<WhiteCardData, Object>>(0);
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/src/net/socialgamer/cah/handlers/GetCardsHandler.java b/src/net/socialgamer/cah/handlers/GetCardsHandler.java
index 6c87bee..ab1780e 100644
--- a/src/net/socialgamer/cah/handlers/GetCardsHandler.java
+++ b/src/net/socialgamer/cah/handlers/GetCardsHandler.java
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@
 
 package net.socialgamer.cah.handlers;
 
-import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
@@ -56,18 +55,13 @@ public class GetCardsHandler extends GameWithPlayerHandler {
 
   public static final String OP = AjaxOperation.GET_CARDS.toString();
 
-  @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
   @Override
   public Map<ReturnableData, Object> handleWithUserInGame(final RequestWrapper request,
       final HttpSession session, final User user, final Game game) {
     final Map<ReturnableData, Object> data = new HashMap<ReturnableData, Object>();
 
     final List<Map<WhiteCardData, Object>> hand = game.getHand(user);
-    if (hand != null) {
-      data.put(AjaxResponse.HAND, hand);
-    } else {
-      data.put(AjaxResponse.HAND, Arrays.asList(new HashMap<WhiteCardData, Object>()));
-    }
+    data.put(AjaxResponse.HAND, hand);
     data.put(AjaxResponse.BLACK_CARD, game.getBlackCard());
     data.put(AjaxResponse.WHITE_CARDS, game.getWhiteCards(user));
     data.put(AjaxResponse.GAME_ID, game.getId());