diff --git a/rpc.py b/rpc.py
index 6985f0b..117b7be 100644
--- a/rpc.py
+++ b/rpc.py
@@ -45,9 +45,9 @@ def l_pack(value: Any, envelope: int=3, wrapped: bool=True, basictype=b'0', enco
 
 def l_pack_maxlen(value: Any, encoding: str='latin-1'):
 	if isinstance(value, dict):
-		return max(max(l_pack_maxlen(k, encoding=encoding) for k in value.keys()), max(l_pack_maxlen(v, encoding=encoding) for v in value.values()))
+		return max(max(l_pack_maxlen(k, encoding=encoding) for k in value.keys()), max(l_pack_maxlen(v, encoding=encoding) for v in value.values())) if len(value) > 0 else 0
 	elif not isinstance(value, str) and hasattr(value, '__iter__'):
-		return max(len(str(max(0, len(value) - 1))), max(l_pack_maxlen(v, encoding=encoding) for v in value))
+		return max(len(str(len(value))), max(l_pack_maxlen(v, encoding=encoding) for v in value)) if len(value) > 0 else 0
 	else:
 		return len(str(value).encode(encoding))