diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index b492c5a..7f4a788 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # Changelog
 
-## Version 0.4.0 - 0.4.4
+## Version 0.4.0 - 0.4.5
 
 - Classes extend `BiocObject` from biocutils. `metadata` is a named list.
 - Update actions to run from 3.10-3.14
diff --git a/src/compressed_lists/base.py b/src/compressed_lists/base.py
index de25376..53aa35c 100644
--- a/src/compressed_lists/base.py
+++ b/src/compressed_lists/base.py
@@ -637,7 +637,7 @@ def empty(cls, n: int):
 
         _range_lengths = [0] * n
 
-        return CompressedList(unlist_data=[], partitioning=Partitioning(ends=_range_lengths))
+        return cls(unlist_data=[], partitioning=Partitioning(ends=_range_lengths))
 
     #######################
     ######>> extend <<#####
diff --git a/src/compressed_lists/biocframe_list.py b/src/compressed_lists/biocframe_list.py
index 0a63213..58e8873 100644
--- a/src/compressed_lists/biocframe_list.py
+++ b/src/compressed_lists/biocframe_list.py
@@ -159,6 +159,22 @@ def __str__(self) -> str:
 
         return output
 
+    @classmethod
+    def empty(cls, n: int):
+        """Create an zero-length `CompressedSplitBiocFrameList` object.
+
+        Args:
+            n:
+                Number of elements.
+
+        Returns:
+            same type as caller, in this case a `CompressedSplitBiocFrameList`.
+        """
+
+        _range_lengths = [0] * n
+
+        return cls(unlist_data=BiocFrame({}), partitioning=Partitioning(ends=_range_lengths))
+
 
 @splitAsCompressedList.register
 def _(