diff --git a/pkg/consensus/consensus.go b/pkg/consensus/consensus.go
index 07a9d822b..444548974 100644
--- a/pkg/consensus/consensus.go
+++ b/pkg/consensus/consensus.go
@@ -167,6 +167,7 @@ var (
 func NewPayload(m netmode.Magic) *Payload {
 	return &Payload{
 		network: m,
+		message: new(message),
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/consensus/payload.go b/pkg/consensus/payload.go
index 31cbaec88..80f56f0f7 100644
--- a/pkg/consensus/payload.go
+++ b/pkg/consensus/payload.go
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ func (p *Payload) EncodeBinaryUnsigned(w *io.BinWriter) {
 	w.WriteU32LE(p.height)
 	w.WriteU16LE(p.validatorIndex)
 
-	if p.message != nil {
+	if p.data == nil {
 		ww := io.NewBufBinWriter()
 		p.message.EncodeBinary(ww.BinWriter)
 		p.data = ww.Bytes()