diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index fc77911679a..8ab98e5f56d 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -117,6 +117,7 @@ Ref: https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/
 * (light-clients/solomachine) [#1839](https://github.com/cosmos/ibc-go/issues/1839) Fixed usage of the new diversifier in validation of changing diversifiers for the solo machine. The current diversifier must sign over the new diversifier.
 * (light-clients/07-tendermint) [\#1674](https://github.com/cosmos/ibc-go/pull/1674) Submitted ClientState is zeroed out before checking the proof in order to prevent the proposal from containing information governance is not actually voting on.
 * (modules/core/02-client)[\#1676](https://github.com/cosmos/ibc-go/pull/1676) ClientState must be zeroed out for `UpgradeProposals` to pass validation. This prevents a proposal containing information governance is not actually voting on.
+* (modules/core/keeper) [\#2268](https://github.com/cosmos/ibc-go/pull/2403) Added a function in keeper to cater for blank pointers.
 
 ## [v4.1.0](https://github.com/cosmos/ibc-go/releases/tag/v4.1.0) - 2022-09-20
 
diff --git a/modules/core/keeper/keeper.go b/modules/core/keeper/keeper.go
index 759936be3e9..680db22507e 100644
--- a/modules/core/keeper/keeper.go
+++ b/modules/core/keeper/keeper.go
@@ -50,11 +50,10 @@ func NewKeeper(
 	}
 
 	// panic if any of the keepers passed in is empty
-	if reflect.ValueOf(stakingKeeper).IsZero() {
+	if isEmpty(stakingKeeper) {
 		panic(fmt.Errorf("cannot initialize IBC keeper: empty staking keeper"))
 	}
-
-	if reflect.ValueOf(upgradeKeeper).IsZero() {
+	if isEmpty(upgradeKeeper) {
 		panic(fmt.Errorf("cannot initialize IBC keeper: empty upgrade keeper"))
 	}
 
@@ -92,3 +91,19 @@ func (k *Keeper) SetRouter(rtr *porttypes.Router) {
 	k.Router = rtr
 	k.Router.Seal()
 }
+
+// isEmpty checks if the interface is an empty struct or a pointer pointing
+// to an empty struct
+func isEmpty(keeper interface{}) bool {
+	switch reflect.TypeOf(keeper).Kind() {
+	case reflect.Ptr:
+		if reflect.ValueOf(keeper).Elem().IsZero() {
+			return true
+		}
+	default:
+		if reflect.ValueOf(keeper).IsZero() {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
diff --git a/modules/core/keeper/keeper_test.go b/modules/core/keeper/keeper_test.go
index dd163c232b4..c8114875b47 100644
--- a/modules/core/keeper/keeper_test.go
+++ b/modules/core/keeper/keeper_test.go
@@ -79,10 +79,15 @@ func (suite *KeeperTestSuite) TestNewKeeper() {
 		malleate func()
 		expPass  bool
 	}{
-		{"failure: empty staking keeper", func() {
-			emptyStakingKeeper := stakingkeeper.Keeper{}
+		{"failure: empty staking keeper value", func() {
+			emptyStakingKeeperValue := stakingkeeper.Keeper{}
 
-			stakingKeeper = emptyStakingKeeper
+			stakingKeeper = emptyStakingKeeperValue
+		}, false},
+		{"failure: empty staking keeper pointer", func() {
+			emptyStakingKeeperPointer := &stakingkeeper.Keeper{}
+
+			stakingKeeper = emptyStakingKeeperPointer
 		}, false},
 		{"failure: empty mock staking keeper", func() {
 			// use a different implementation of clienttypes.StakingKeeper
@@ -90,10 +95,15 @@ func (suite *KeeperTestSuite) TestNewKeeper() {
 
 			stakingKeeper = emptyMockStakingKeeper
 		}, false},
-		{"failure: empty upgrade keeper", func() {
-			emptyUpgradeKeeper := upgradekeeper.Keeper{}
+		{"failure: empty upgrade keeper value", func() {
+			emptyUpgradeKeeperValue := upgradekeeper.Keeper{}
+
+			upgradeKeeper = emptyUpgradeKeeperValue
+		}, false},
+		{"failure: empty upgrade keeper pointer", func() {
+			emptyUpgradeKeeperPointer := &upgradekeeper.Keeper{}
 
-			upgradeKeeper = emptyUpgradeKeeper
+			upgradeKeeper = emptyUpgradeKeeperPointer
 		}, false},
 		{"failure: empty scoped keeper", func() {
 			emptyScopedKeeper := capabilitykeeper.ScopedKeeper{}