diff --git a/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/makedict/BinaryDictEncoderUtils.java b/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/makedict/BinaryDictEncoderUtils.java
index 71c1d42..40effb5 100644
--- a/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/makedict/BinaryDictEncoderUtils.java
+++ b/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/makedict/BinaryDictEncoderUtils.java
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@
      * like address lists do.
      */
     static int getShortcutListSize(final ArrayList<WeightedString> shortcutList) {
-        if (null == shortcutList) return 0;
+        if (null == shortcutList || shortcutList.isEmpty()) return 0;
         int size = FormatSpec.GROUP_SHORTCUT_LIST_SIZE_SIZE;
         for (final WeightedString shortcut : shortcutList) {
             size += getShortcutSize(shortcut);
@@ -601,8 +601,9 @@
     private static byte makeCharGroupFlags(final CharGroup group, final int groupAddress,
             final int childrenOffset, final FormatOptions formatOptions) {
         return (byte) makeCharGroupFlags(group.mChars.length > 1, group.mFrequency >= 0,
-                getByteSize(childrenOffset), group.mShortcutTargets != null, group.mBigrams != null,
-                group.mIsNotAWord, group.mIsBlacklistEntry, formatOptions);
+                getByteSize(childrenOffset),
+                group.mShortcutTargets != null && !group.mShortcutTargets.isEmpty(),
+                group.mBigrams != null, group.mIsNotAWord, group.mIsBlacklistEntry, formatOptions);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -795,7 +796,7 @@
             groupAddress += shift;
 
             // Write shortcuts
-            if (null != group.mShortcutTargets) {
+            if (null != group.mShortcutTargets && !group.mShortcutTargets.isEmpty()) {
                 final int indexOfShortcutByteSize = index;
                 index += FormatSpec.GROUP_SHORTCUT_LIST_SIZE_SIZE;
                 groupAddress += FormatSpec.GROUP_SHORTCUT_LIST_SIZE_SIZE;
diff --git a/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/makedict/Ver3DictDecoder.java b/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/makedict/Ver3DictDecoder.java
index 8d1b027..494bbfc 100644
--- a/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/makedict/Ver3DictDecoder.java
+++ b/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/makedict/Ver3DictDecoder.java
@@ -255,18 +255,26 @@
             childrenAddress += addressPointer;
         }
         addressPointer += BinaryDictIOUtils.getChildrenAddressSize(flags, options);
-        ArrayList<WeightedString> shortcutTargets = null;
+        final ArrayList<WeightedString> shortcutTargets;
         if (0 != (flags & FormatSpec.FLAG_HAS_SHORTCUT_TARGETS)) {
+            // readShortcut will add shortcuts to shortcutTargets.
+            shortcutTargets = new ArrayList<WeightedString>();
             addressPointer += PtNodeReader.readShortcut(mDictBuffer, shortcutTargets);
+        } else {
+            shortcutTargets = null;
         }
-        ArrayList<PendingAttribute> bigrams = null;
+
+        final ArrayList<PendingAttribute> bigrams;
         if (0 != (flags & FormatSpec.FLAG_HAS_BIGRAMS)) {
             bigrams = new ArrayList<PendingAttribute>();
             addressPointer += PtNodeReader.readBigrams(mDictBuffer, bigrams, addressPointer);
             if (bigrams.size() >= FormatSpec.MAX_BIGRAMS_IN_A_GROUP) {
                 MakedictLog.d("too many bigrams in a group.");
             }
+        } else {
+            bigrams = null;
         }
+
         return new CharGroupInfo(ptNodePos, addressPointer, flags, characters, frequency,
                 parentAddress, childrenAddress, shortcutTargets, bigrams);
     }
diff --git a/tests/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/makedict/BinaryDictDecoderEncoderTests.java b/tests/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/makedict/BinaryDictDecoderEncoderTests.java
index 83ccdec..1eba02f 100644
--- a/tests/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/makedict/BinaryDictDecoderEncoderTests.java
+++ b/tests/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/makedict/BinaryDictDecoderEncoderTests.java
@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@
     private static final int UNIGRAM_FREQ = 10;
     private static final int BIGRAM_FREQ = 50;
     private static final int TOLERANCE_OF_BIGRAM_FREQ = 5;
+    private static final int NUM_OF_NODES_HAVING_SHORTCUTS = 50;
+    private static final int NUM_OF_SHORTCUTS = 5;
 
     private static final int USE_BYTE_ARRAY = 1;
     private static final int USE_BYTE_BUFFER = 2;
@@ -63,6 +65,7 @@
     private static final SparseArray<List<Integer>> sStarBigrams = CollectionUtils.newSparseArray();
     private static final SparseArray<List<Integer>> sChainBigrams =
             CollectionUtils.newSparseArray();
+    private static final Map<String, List<String>> sShortcuts = CollectionUtils.newHashMap();
 
     private static final FormatSpec.FormatOptions VERSION2 = new FormatSpec.FormatOptions(2);
     private static final FormatSpec.FormatOptions VERSION3_WITHOUT_DYNAMIC_UPDATE =
@@ -95,6 +98,16 @@
         for (int i = 1; i < sWords.size(); ++i) {
             sStarBigrams.get(0).add(i);
         }
+
+        sShortcuts.clear();
+        for (int i = 0; i < NUM_OF_NODES_HAVING_SHORTCUTS; ++i) {
+            final int from = Math.abs(random.nextInt()) % sWords.size();
+            sShortcuts.put(sWords.get(from), new ArrayList<String>());
+            for (int j = 0; j < NUM_OF_SHORTCUTS; ++j) {
+                final int to = Math.abs(random.nextInt()) % sWords.size();
+                sShortcuts.get(sWords.get(from)).add(sWords.get(to));
+            }
+        }
     }
 
     private int[] generateCodePointSet(final int codePointSetSize, final Random random) {
@@ -104,7 +117,7 @@
             if (r < 0) continue;
             // Don't insert 0~0x20, but insert any other code point.
             // Code points are in the range 0~0x10FFFF.
-            final int candidateCodePoint = (int)(0x20 + r % (Character.MAX_CODE_POINT - 0x20));
+            final int candidateCodePoint = 0x20 + r % (Character.MAX_CODE_POINT - 0x20);
             // Code points between MIN_ and MAX_SURROGATE are not valid on their own.
             if (candidateCodePoint >= Character.MIN_SURROGATE
                     && candidateCodePoint <= Character.MAX_SURROGATE) continue;
@@ -243,6 +256,7 @@
         // check shortcut
         if (shortcutMap != null) {
             for (final Map.Entry<String, List<String>> entry : shortcutMap.entrySet()) {
+                assertTrue(words.contains(entry.getKey()));
                 final CharGroup group = FusionDictionary.findWordInTree(dict.mRootNodeArray,
                         entry.getKey());
                 for (final String word : entry.getValue()) {
@@ -321,6 +335,12 @@
                 formatOptions, "chain"));
         results.add(runReadAndWrite(sWords, sStarBigrams, null /* shortcuts */, bufferType,
                 formatOptions, "star"));
+        results.add(runReadAndWrite(sWords, sEmptyBigrams, sShortcuts, bufferType, formatOptions,
+                "unigram with shortcuts"));
+        results.add(runReadAndWrite(sWords, sChainBigrams, sShortcuts, bufferType, formatOptions,
+                "chain with shortcuts"));
+        results.add(runReadAndWrite(sWords, sStarBigrams, sShortcuts, bufferType, formatOptions,
+                "star with shortcuts"));
     }
 
     public void testReadAndWriteWithByteBuffer() {