diff --git a/core/capabilities/remote/executable/request/client_request_test.go b/core/capabilities/remote/executable/request/client_request_test.go
index 3c843cf038b..c46fd1363a0 100644
--- a/core/capabilities/remote/executable/request/client_request_test.go
+++ b/core/capabilities/remote/executable/request/client_request_test.go
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common/hexutil"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 
@@ -26,13 +25,6 @@ const (
 	workflowExecutionID1 = "95ef5e32deb99a10ee6804bc4af13855687559d7ff6552ac6dbb2ce0abbadeed"
 )
 
-func Test_Hex(t *testing.T) {
-	b := []byte{}
-
-	strResult := hexutil.Encode(b)
-	assert.Equal(t, "", strResult)
-}
-
 func Test_ClientRequest_MessageValidation(t *testing.T) {
 	lggr := logger.TestLogger(t)
 
diff --git a/core/services/workflows/syncer/workflow_registry.go b/core/services/workflows/syncer/workflow_registry.go
index fbbaa2e6207..e68136fdc07 100644
--- a/core/services/workflows/syncer/workflow_registry.go
+++ b/core/services/workflows/syncer/workflow_registry.go
@@ -223,11 +223,16 @@ func (w *workflowRegistry) Start(_ context.Context) error {
 			w.lggr.Debugw("Loading initial workflows for DON", "DON", don.ID)
 			loadWorkflowsHead, err := w.initialWorkflowsStateLoader.LoadWorkflows(ctx, don)
 			if err != nil {
-				// TODO - this is a temporary fix to handle the case where the contract is empty, to track: https://smartcontract-it.atlassian.net/browse/CAPPL-393
+				// TODO - this is a temporary fix to handle the case where the chainreader errors because the contract
+				// contains no workflows.  To track: https://smartcontract-it.atlassian.net/browse/CAPPL-393
 				if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "attempting to unmarshal an empty string while arguments are expected") {
 					w.lggr.Errorw("failed to load workflows", "err", err)
 					return
 				}
+
+				loadWorkflowsHead = &types.Head{
+					Height: "0",
+				}
 			}
 
 			reader, err := w.getContractReader(ctx)