diff --git a/libsepol/include/sepol/policydb/ebitmap.h b/libsepol/include/sepol/policydb/ebitmap.h
index c434c4ba..7e19c301 100644
--- a/libsepol/include/sepol/policydb/ebitmap.h
+++ b/libsepol/include/sepol/policydb/ebitmap.h
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@ typedef struct ebitmap {
 	uint32_t highbit;	/* highest position in the total bitmap */
 } ebitmap_t;
 
-#define ebitmap_is_empty(e) (((e)->highbit) == 0)
-#define ebitmap_length(e) ((e)->highbit)
+#define ebitmap_is_empty(e) (((e)->node) == NULL)
+#define ebitmap_length(e) ((e)->node ? (e)->highbit : 0)
 #define ebitmap_startbit(e) ((e)->node ? (e)->node->startbit : 0)
 #define ebitmap_startnode(e) ((e)->node)