diff --git a/ethcore/src/engines/authority_round/mod.rs b/ethcore/src/engines/authority_round/mod.rs
index d810f5a9c84..891cfa4d195 100644
--- a/ethcore/src/engines/authority_round/mod.rs
+++ b/ethcore/src/engines/authority_round/mod.rs
@@ -988,8 +988,10 @@ impl Engine<EthereumMachine> for AuthorityRound {
 					self.clear_empty_steps(parent_step);
 
 					// report any skipped primaries between the parent block and
-					// the block we're sealing
-					self.report_skipped(header, step, u64::from(parent_step) as usize, &*validators, set_number);
+					// the block we're sealing, unless we have empty steps enabled
+					if header.number() < self.empty_steps_transition {
+						self.report_skipped(header, step, u64::from(parent_step) as usize, &*validators, set_number);
+					}
 
 					let mut fields = vec![
 						encode(&step).into_vec(),