diff --git a/lib/models/transforms.js b/lib/models/transforms.js
index 8984602d3..9548d5c45 100644
--- a/lib/models/transforms.js
+++ b/lib/models/transforms.js
@@ -255,7 +255,8 @@ const Transforms = {
 
     // If the block is empty, replace it.
     else if (startBlock.isEmpty) {
-      parent = parent.merge({ nodes })
+      parent = parent.insertChildrenAfter(startBlock, nodes)
+      parent = parent.removeDescendant(startBlock)
     }
 
     // If the range is at the start of the block, insert before.
diff --git a/test/transforms/fixtures/insert-block-at-range/is-empty/input.yaml b/test/transforms/fixtures/insert-block-at-range/is-empty/input.yaml
index f6de4d08a..fbe1a3f76 100644
--- a/test/transforms/fixtures/insert-block-at-range/is-empty/input.yaml
+++ b/test/transforms/fixtures/insert-block-at-range/is-empty/input.yaml
@@ -5,3 +5,8 @@ nodes:
     nodes:
       - kind: text
         text: ""
+  - kind: block
+    type: paragraph
+    nodes:
+      - kind: text
+        text: not empty
diff --git a/test/transforms/fixtures/insert-block-at-range/is-empty/output.yaml b/test/transforms/fixtures/insert-block-at-range/is-empty/output.yaml
index 68da1740e..82e79625b 100644
--- a/test/transforms/fixtures/insert-block-at-range/is-empty/output.yaml
+++ b/test/transforms/fixtures/insert-block-at-range/is-empty/output.yaml
@@ -5,3 +5,8 @@ nodes:
     nodes:
       - kind: text
         text: ""
+  - kind: block
+    type: paragraph
+    nodes:
+      - kind: text
+        text: not empty
diff --git a/test/transforms/fixtures/insert-block/is-empty/input.yaml b/test/transforms/fixtures/insert-block/is-empty/input.yaml
index f6de4d08a..fbe1a3f76 100644
--- a/test/transforms/fixtures/insert-block/is-empty/input.yaml
+++ b/test/transforms/fixtures/insert-block/is-empty/input.yaml
@@ -5,3 +5,8 @@ nodes:
     nodes:
       - kind: text
         text: ""
+  - kind: block
+    type: paragraph
+    nodes:
+      - kind: text
+        text: not empty
diff --git a/test/transforms/fixtures/insert-block/is-empty/output.yaml b/test/transforms/fixtures/insert-block/is-empty/output.yaml
index 68da1740e..82e79625b 100644
--- a/test/transforms/fixtures/insert-block/is-empty/output.yaml
+++ b/test/transforms/fixtures/insert-block/is-empty/output.yaml
@@ -5,3 +5,8 @@ nodes:
     nodes:
       - kind: text
         text: ""
+  - kind: block
+    type: paragraph
+    nodes:
+      - kind: text
+        text: not empty