diff --git a/file.go b/file.go
index b0ef526..ba92701 100644
--- a/file.go
+++ b/file.go
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ func NewFilePages(dirname string, index bleve.Index) PagesRepository {
 }
 
 func convertBlocksToListItems(current string, blocks BlockResponse, indent int) []ActualListItem {
-	var listItems []ActualListItem
+	listItems := []ActualListItem{}
 
 	for _, child := range blocks.Children[current] {
 		l := convertBlocksToListItems(child, blocks, indent+1)
@@ -350,7 +350,7 @@ func saveBlocksFromPage(dirname string, page Page) error {
 	prevList[parent.ID] = parent
 	blocks[parent.ID] = Block{
 		Text:     title,
-		Children: nil,
+		Children: []string{},
 		Parent:   root,
 	}