diff --git a/src/incidencematrix.jl b/src/incidencematrix.jl
index 0f295342..9d9f5b8f 100644
--- a/src/incidencematrix.jl
+++ b/src/incidencematrix.jl
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ end
 
 function IncidenceMatrix{NonSymmetric}(incidenceRows::AbstractVector{<:AbstractVector{<:Base.Integer}})
     r = length(incidenceRows)
-    c = maximum(maximum, incidenceRows)
+    c = maximum(x->maximum(x; init=0), incidenceRows)
     return IncidenceMatrix{NonSymmetric}(r, c, incidenceRows)
 end
 
diff --git a/test/incidencematrix.jl b/test/incidencematrix.jl
index 9f9c0acf..d41b3bb3 100644
--- a/test/incidencematrix.jl
+++ b/test/incidencematrix.jl
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@ using Polymake.SparseArrays
         @test size(M) == (3, 6)
         @test M == Polymake.IncidenceMatrix{Polymake.NonSymmetric}(3, 6, inc)
 
+        @test Polymake.IncidenceMatrix([Int[], [2,3]]) isa Polymake.IncidenceMatrix{Polymake.NonSymmetric}
+
         for N in [IntTypes; FloatTypes; Polymake.Integer; Polymake.Rational]
             @test Polymake.IncidenceMatrix(N.(jl_n)) isa Polymake.IncidenceMatrix{Polymake.NonSymmetric}
             @test Polymake.IncidenceMatrix{Polymake.NonSymmetric}(N.(jl_s)) isa Polymake.IncidenceMatrix{Polymake.NonSymmetric}