diff --git a/sw/snRuntime/src/dma.h b/sw/snRuntime/src/dma.h
index 29d5d226c..79b009d33 100644
--- a/sw/snRuntime/src/dma.h
+++ b/sw/snRuntime/src/dma.h
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ inline snrt_dma_txid_t snrt_dma_start_1d_wideptr(uint64_t dst, uint64_t src,
 
         return reg_txid;
     } else {
-        return -1;
+        return 0;
     }
 }
 
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ inline snrt_dma_txid_t snrt_dma_start_2d_wideptr(uint64_t dst, uint64_t src,
 
         return reg_txid;
     } else {
-        return -1;
+        return 0;
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/sw/tests/dma_empty_transfer.c b/sw/tests/dma_empty_transfer.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5c1a13238
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sw/tests/dma_empty_transfer.c
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+// Copyright 2020 ETH Zurich and University of Bologna.
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0, see LICENSE for details.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+
+#include <snrt.h>
+
+// Allocate a buffer in the main memory which we will use to copy data around
+// with the DMA.
+uint32_t buffer[32];
+
+int main() {
+    if (snrt_global_core_idx() != 8) return 0;  // only DMA core
+
+    // Populate source buffer.
+    uint32_t buffer_src[32];
+    for (uint32_t i = 0; i < 32; i++) {
+        buffer_src[i] = i + 1;
+    }
+
+    // Start a DMA transfer of zero size.
+    snrt_dma_txid_t id = snrt_dma_start_1d(buffer, buffer_src, 0);
+    snrt_dma_wait(id);
+
+    // Test is successful if the previous transfer doesn't block.
+}
diff --git a/target/snitch_cluster/sw/run.yaml b/target/snitch_cluster/sw/run.yaml
index 3842e3e70..188a8a1c5 100644
--- a/target/snitch_cluster/sw/run.yaml
+++ b/target/snitch_cluster/sw/run.yaml
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ runs:
     simulators: [vsim, vcs, verilator] # banshee fails with exit code 0x4
   - elf: tests/build/barrier.elf
   - elf: tests/build/data_mover.elf
+  - elf: tests/build/dma_empty_transfer.elf
   - elf: tests/build/dma_simple.elf
   - elf: tests/build/event_unit.elf
   - elf: tests/build/fence_i.elf