diff --git a/pkg/primitives/namestate.go b/pkg/primitives/namestate.go
index 410a973..2604cbc 100644
--- a/pkg/primitives/namestate.go
+++ b/pkg/primitives/namestate.go
@@ -15,9 +15,7 @@ func (ns NameState) Clone() NameState {
 
 // IsNull reports whether the name state carries any non-default data.
 func (ns NameState) IsNull() bool {
-	return len(ns.Name) == 0 &&
-		ns.NameHash == (Hash{}) &&
-		ns.Height == 0 &&
+	return ns.Height == 0 &&
 		ns.Renewal == 0 &&
 		(ns.Owner == (Outpoint{}) || ns.Owner.IsNull()) &&
 		ns.Value == 0 &&
diff --git a/pkg/primitives/namestate_test.go b/pkg/primitives/namestate_test.go
index 3a077d0..4d1f041 100644
--- a/pkg/primitives/namestate_test.go
+++ b/pkg/primitives/namestate_test.go
@@ -11,9 +11,17 @@ func TestNameStateIsNull(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal("zero name state should be null")
 	}
 
-	ns := NameState{Name: []byte("foo")}
+	ns := NameState{
+		Name:     []byte("foo"),
+		NameHash: Hash{1, 2, 3},
+	}
+	if got := ns.IsNull(); !got {
+		t.Fatal("name metadata alone should not make the state non-null")
+	}
+
+	ns.Height = 1
 	if got := ns.IsNull(); got {
-		t.Fatal("name state with data should not be null")
+		t.Fatal("name state with chain data should not be null")
 	}
 }