diff --git a/jsprit-core/src/main/java/algorithms/IterateRouteBackwardInTime.java b/jsprit-core/src/main/java/algorithms/IterateRouteBackwardInTime.java
index 925b3322..e61ea4ae 100644
--- a/jsprit-core/src/main/java/algorithms/IterateRouteBackwardInTime.java
+++ b/jsprit-core/src/main/java/algorithms/IterateRouteBackwardInTime.java
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ class IterateRouteBackwardInTime implements VehicleRouteUpdater{
 	 */
 	public void iterate(VehicleRoute vehicleRoute) {
 		if(listeners.isEmpty()) return;
+		if(vehicleRoute.isEmpty()) return;
 		listeners.start(vehicleRoute, vehicleRoute.getEnd(), vehicleRoute.getEnd().getTheoreticalLatestOperationStartTime());
 		
 		Iterator<TourActivity> reverseActIter = vehicleRoute.getTourActivities().reverseActivityIterator();
diff --git a/jsprit-core/src/main/java/algorithms/IterateRouteForwardInTime.java b/jsprit-core/src/main/java/algorithms/IterateRouteForwardInTime.java
index 62c6062d..91eb6d0d 100644
--- a/jsprit-core/src/main/java/algorithms/IterateRouteForwardInTime.java
+++ b/jsprit-core/src/main/java/algorithms/IterateRouteForwardInTime.java
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ class IterateRouteForwardInTime implements VehicleRouteUpdater{
 	 */
 	public void iterate(VehicleRoute vehicleRoute) {
 		if(listeners.isEmpty()) return;
+		if(vehicleRoute.isEmpty()) return;
 		listeners.start(vehicleRoute, vehicleRoute.getStart(), vehicleRoute.getStart().getEndTime());
 		
 		Vehicle vehicle = vehicleRoute.getVehicle();