diff --git a/src/proto_017_PtNairob/lib_delegate/baking_lib.ml b/src/proto_017_PtNairob/lib_delegate/baking_lib.ml
index e646d82e62ff3209a3d80fe348dafef3b4af84f4..5cdd7eb12b0de0df9c50edba3e5594f864a91cfe 100644
--- a/src/proto_017_PtNairob/lib_delegate/baking_lib.ml
+++ b/src/proto_017_PtNairob/lib_delegate/baking_lib.ml
@@ -299,6 +299,13 @@ let propose (cctxt : Protocol_client_context.full) ?minimal_fees
       ()
   in
   let* state = create_state cctxt ~config ~current_proposal delegates in
+  (* Make sure the operation worker is populated to avoid empty blocks
+     being proposed. *)
+  let* () =
+    Operation_worker.retrieve_pending_operations
+      cctxt
+      state.global_state.operation_worker
+  in
   let* _ =
     match state.level_state.elected_block with
     | Some _ -> propose_at_next_level ~minimal_timestamp state
diff --git a/src/proto_018_Proxford/lib_delegate/baking_lib.ml b/src/proto_018_Proxford/lib_delegate/baking_lib.ml
index f6529fa27b05ad26c37addbcda8f7e71de4a01c2..6b02fb0430b13a7dd5392d1bb04c9a2d2839316f 100644
--- a/src/proto_018_Proxford/lib_delegate/baking_lib.ml
+++ b/src/proto_018_Proxford/lib_delegate/baking_lib.ml
@@ -311,6 +311,13 @@ let propose (cctxt : Protocol_client_context.full) ?minimal_fees
       ()
   in
   let* state = create_state cctxt ~config ~current_proposal delegates in
+  (* Make sure the operation worker is populated to avoid empty blocks
+     being proposed. *)
+  let* () =
+    Operation_worker.retrieve_pending_operations
+      cctxt
+      state.global_state.operation_worker
+  in
   let* _ =
     match state.level_state.elected_block with
     | Some _ -> propose_at_next_level ~minimal_timestamp state
diff --git a/src/proto_alpha/lib_delegate/baking_lib.ml b/src/proto_alpha/lib_delegate/baking_lib.ml
index f6529fa27b05ad26c37addbcda8f7e71de4a01c2..6b02fb0430b13a7dd5392d1bb04c9a2d2839316f 100644
--- a/src/proto_alpha/lib_delegate/baking_lib.ml
+++ b/src/proto_alpha/lib_delegate/baking_lib.ml
@@ -311,6 +311,13 @@ let propose (cctxt : Protocol_client_context.full) ?minimal_fees
       ()
   in
   let* state = create_state cctxt ~config ~current_proposal delegates in
+  (* Make sure the operation worker is populated to avoid empty blocks
+     being proposed. *)
+  let* () =
+    Operation_worker.retrieve_pending_operations
+      cctxt
+      state.global_state.operation_worker
+  in
   let* _ =
     match state.level_state.elected_block with
     | Some _ -> propose_at_next_level ~minimal_timestamp state