diff --git a/src/omero_metadata/rois.py b/src/omero_metadata/rois.py
index ccafe90a..2e889aa4 100644
--- a/src/omero_metadata/rois.py
+++ b/src/omero_metadata/rois.py
@@ -33,7 +33,8 @@ def __init__(self, msg='Invalid labels found'):
 
 
 def mask_from_binary_image(
-        binim, rgba=None, z=None, c=None, t=None, text=None):
+        binim, rgba=None, z=None, c=None, t=None, text=None,
+        raise_on_no_mask=True):
     """
     Create a mask shape from a binary image (background=0)
     :param numpy.array binim: Binary 2D array, must contain values [0, 1] only
@@ -42,6 +43,8 @@ def mask_from_binary_image(
     :param c: Optional C-index for the mask
     :param t: Optional T-index for the mask
     :param text: Optional text for the mask
+    :param raise_on_no_mask: If True (default) throw an exception if no mask
+           found, otherwise return an empty Mask
     :return: An OMERO mask
     :raises NoMaskFound: If no labels were found
     :raises InvalidBinaryImage: If the maximum labels is greater than 1
@@ -49,16 +52,22 @@ def mask_from_binary_image(
     # Find bounding box to minimise size of mask
     xmask = binim.sum(0).nonzero()[0]
     ymask = binim.sum(1).nonzero()[0]
-    if not any(xmask) and not any(ymask):
-        raise NoMaskFound()
-
-    x0 = min(xmask)
-    w = max(xmask) - x0 + 1
-    y0 = min(ymask)
-    h = max(ymask) - y0 + 1
-    submask = binim[y0:(y0 + h), x0:(x0 + w)]
-    if not np.array_equal(np.unique(submask), [0, 1]):
-        raise InvalidBinaryImage()
+    if any(xmask) and any(ymask):
+        x0 = min(xmask)
+        w = max(xmask) - x0 + 1
+        y0 = min(ymask)
+        h = max(ymask) - y0 + 1
+        submask = binim[y0:(y0 + h), x0:(x0 + w)]
+        if not np.array_equal(np.unique(submask), [0, 1]):
+            raise InvalidBinaryImage()
+    else:
+        if raise_on_no_mask:
+            raise NoMaskFound()
+        x0 = 0
+        w = 0
+        y0 = 0
+        h = 0
+        submask = []
 
     mask = MaskI()
     # BUG in older versions of Numpy:
@@ -87,7 +96,8 @@ def mask_from_binary_image(
 
 
 def masks_from_label_image(
-        labelim, rgba=None, z=None, c=None, t=None, text=None):
+        labelim, rgba=None, z=None, c=None, t=None, text=None,
+        raise_on_no_mask=True):
     """
     Create mask shapes from a label image (background=0)
     :param numpy.array labelim: 2D label array
@@ -96,13 +106,13 @@ def masks_from_label_image(
     :param c: Optional C-index for the mask
     :param t: Optional T-index for the mask
     :param text: Optional text for the mask
+    :param raise_on_no_mask: If True (default) throw an exception if no mask
+           found, otherwise return an empty Mask
     :return: A list of OMERO masks in label order ([] if no labels found)
     """
     masks = []
     for i in xrange(1, labelim.max() + 1):
-        try:
-            mask = mask_from_binary_image(labelim == i, rgba, z, c, t, text)
-            masks.append(mask)
-        except NoMaskFound:
-            pass
+        mask = mask_from_binary_image(labelim == i, rgba, z, c, t, text,
+                                      raise_on_no_mask)
+        masks.append(mask)
     return masks
diff --git a/test/unit/test_masks.py b/test/unit/test_masks.py
index 7590119e..a9cab0a0 100644
--- a/test/unit/test_masks.py
+++ b/test/unit/test_masks.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 from omero_metadata import (
     mask_from_binary_image,
     masks_from_label_image,
+    NoMaskFound,
 )
 
 
@@ -96,3 +97,39 @@ def test_masks_from_label_image(self, label_image, args):
                 assert unwrap(mask.getTheC()) is None
                 assert unwrap(mask.getTheT()) is None
                 assert unwrap(mask.getTextValue()) is None
+
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize('args', [
+        {},
+        {'rgba': (255, 128, 64, 128), 'z': 1, 'c': 2, 't': 3, 'text': 'test'}
+    ])
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize('raise_on_no_mask', [
+        True,
+        False,
+    ])
+    def test_empty_mask_from_binary_image(self, args, raise_on_no_mask):
+        empty_binary_image = np.array([[0]])
+        if raise_on_no_mask:
+            with pytest.raises(NoMaskFound):
+                mask = mask_from_binary_image(
+                    empty_binary_image, raise_on_no_mask=raise_on_no_mask,
+                    **args)
+        else:
+            mask = mask_from_binary_image(
+                empty_binary_image, raise_on_no_mask=raise_on_no_mask,
+                **args)
+            assert unwrap(mask.getWidth()) == 0
+            assert unwrap(mask.getHeight()) == 0
+            assert unwrap(mask.getX()) == 0
+            assert unwrap(mask.getY()) == 0
+            assert np.array_equal(mask.getBytes(), [])
+
+            if args:
+                assert unwrap(mask.getTheZ()) == 1
+                assert unwrap(mask.getTheC()) == 2
+                assert unwrap(mask.getTheT()) == 3
+                assert unwrap(mask.getTextValue()) == 'test'
+            else:
+                assert unwrap(mask.getTheZ()) is None
+                assert unwrap(mask.getTheC()) is None
+                assert unwrap(mask.getTheT()) is None
+                assert unwrap(mask.getTextValue()) is None