diff --git a/components/com_contact/models/categories.php b/components/com_contact/models/categories.php
index b8ce15c35d598..bd83514bf6652 100644
--- a/components/com_contact/models/categories.php
+++ b/components/com_contact/models/categories.php
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ protected function getStoreId($id = '')
 	 */
 	public function getItems()
 	{
-		if (!count($this->_items))
+		if ($this->_items === null)
 		{
 			$app = JFactory::getApplication();
 			$menu = $app->getMenu();
diff --git a/components/com_newsfeeds/models/categories.php b/components/com_newsfeeds/models/categories.php
index 38547302a43a3..4d40f1ffc7d2b 100644
--- a/components/com_newsfeeds/models/categories.php
+++ b/components/com_newsfeeds/models/categories.php
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ protected function getStoreId($id = '')
 	 */
 	public function getItems()
 	{
-		if (!count($this->_items))
+		if ($this->_items === null)
 		{
 			$app = JFactory::getApplication();
 			$menu = $app->getMenu();