diff --git a/Lib/pickle.py b/Lib/pickle.py
index 02288d8f731..2baee460253 100644
--- a/Lib/pickle.py
+++ b/Lib/pickle.py
@@ -502,7 +502,8 @@ def save_tuple(self, object):
 
         # No recursion (including the empty-tuple case for protocol 0).
         self.write(TUPLE)
-        self.memoize(object) # XXX shouldn't memoize empty tuple?!
+        if object:                      # No need to memoize empty tuple
+            self.memoize(object)
 
     dispatch[TupleType] = save_tuple