diff --git a/cpp/src/barretenberg/stdlib/merkle_tree/nullifier_tree/nullifier_leaf.hpp b/cpp/src/barretenberg/stdlib/merkle_tree/nullifier_tree/nullifier_leaf.hpp
index d7080b48bb..5bcca73c3a 100644
--- a/cpp/src/barretenberg/stdlib/merkle_tree/nullifier_tree/nullifier_leaf.hpp
+++ b/cpp/src/barretenberg/stdlib/merkle_tree/nullifier_tree/nullifier_leaf.hpp
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ struct nullifier_leaf {
         write(buf, nextValue);
     }
 
+    bool is_empty() const { return value == fr::zero(); }
     barretenberg::fr hash() const { return stdlib::merkle_tree::hash_multiple_native({ value, nextIndex, nextValue }); }
 };