diff --git a/test/dict.cpp b/test/dict.cpp
index 4ee20ef..1dac3dc 100644
--- a/test/dict.cpp
+++ b/test/dict.cpp
@@ -26,7 +26,11 @@ TEST_CASE(dict_insert) {
 }
 
 TEST_CASE(dict_read) {
-  auto v = DIEX(read_one(arena, "{1 2 3 4}"));
+  auto v = DIEX(read_one(arena, "{}"));
   auto s = DIEX(write_one(arena, v));
+  ASSERT_EQUALS(s, "{}");
+
+  v = DIEX(read_one(arena, "{1 2 3 4}"));
+  s = DIEX(write_one(arena, v));
   ASSERT_EQUALS(s, "{1 2 3 4}");
 }