diff --git a/packet_packer.go b/packet_packer.go
index 6193921bf..b2a50783d 100644
--- a/packet_packer.go
+++ b/packet_packer.go
@@ -96,7 +96,6 @@ type packetPacker struct {
 	acks      ackFrameSource
 
 	maxPacketSize             protocol.ByteCount
-	hasSentPacket             bool // has the packetPacker already sent a packet
 	numNonRetransmittableAcks int
 }
 
@@ -250,10 +249,6 @@ func (p *packetPacker) packHandshakeRetransmission(packet *ackhandler.Packet) (*
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	// make sure that the retransmission for an Initial packet is sent as an Initial packet
-	if packet.PacketType == protocol.PacketTypeInitial {
-		p.hasSentPacket = false
-	}
 	header := p.getHeader(packet.EncryptionLevel)
 	header.Type = packet.PacketType
 	raw, err := p.writeAndSealPacket(header, packet.Frames, sealer)
@@ -275,10 +270,6 @@ func (p *packetPacker) PackPacket() (*packedPacket, error) {
 	if packet != nil {
 		return packet, nil
 	}
-	// if this is the first packet to be send, make sure it contains stream data
-	if !p.hasSentPacket && packet == nil {
-		return nil, nil
-	}
 
 	encLevel, sealer := p.cryptoSetup.GetSealer()
 	header := p.getHeader(encLevel)
@@ -484,7 +475,6 @@ func (p *packetPacker) writeAndSealPacket(
 	if num != header.PacketNumber {
 		return nil, errors.New("packetPacker BUG: Peeked and Popped packet numbers do not match")
 	}
-	p.hasSentPacket = true
 	return raw, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/packet_packer_test.go b/packet_packer_test.go
index 3d2cab68c..dccde3fbf 100644
--- a/packet_packer_test.go
+++ b/packet_packer_test.go
@@ -88,7 +88,6 @@ var _ = Describe("Packet packer", func() {
 			protocol.PerspectiveServer,
 			version,
 		)
-		packer.hasSentPacket = true
 		packer.version = version
 		packer.maxPacketSize = maxPacketSize
 	})
@@ -712,7 +711,6 @@ var _ = Describe("Packet packer", func() {
 			ackFramer.EXPECT().GetAckFrame()
 			initialStream.EXPECT().HasData().Return(true)
 			initialStream.EXPECT().PopCryptoFrame(gomock.Any()).Return(f)
-			packer.hasSentPacket = false
 			packer.perspective = protocol.PerspectiveClient
 			packet, err := packer.PackPacket()
 			Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
@@ -732,7 +730,6 @@ var _ = Describe("Packet packer", func() {
 			initialStream.EXPECT().PopCryptoFrame(gomock.Any()).Return(&wire.CryptoFrame{
 				Data: []byte("foobar"),
 			})
-			packer.hasSentPacket = false
 			packer.perspective = protocol.PerspectiveClient
 			packet, err := packer.PackPacket()
 			Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
@@ -749,7 +746,6 @@ var _ = Describe("Packet packer", func() {
 			initialStream.EXPECT().HasData().Return(true)
 			initialStream.EXPECT().PopCryptoFrame(gomock.Any()).Return(f)
 			packer.version = protocol.VersionTLS
-			packer.hasSentPacket = false
 			packer.perspective = protocol.PerspectiveClient
 			packet, err := packer.PackPacket()
 			Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
@@ -807,13 +803,15 @@ var _ = Describe("Packet packer", func() {
 					EncryptionLevel: protocol.EncryptionInitial,
 					Frames:          []wire.Frame{sf},
 				}
-				p, err := packer.PackRetransmission(packet)
+				packets, err := packer.PackRetransmission(packet)
 				Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
-				Expect(p).To(HaveLen(1))
-				Expect(p[0].frames).To(Equal([]wire.Frame{sf}))
-				Expect(p[0].encryptionLevel).To(Equal(protocol.EncryptionInitial))
-				Expect(p[0].header.Type).To(Equal(protocol.PacketTypeInitial))
-				Expect(p[0].header.Token).To(Equal(token))
+				Expect(packets).To(HaveLen(1))
+				p := packets[0]
+				Expect(p.frames).To(Equal([]wire.Frame{sf}))
+				Expect(p.encryptionLevel).To(Equal(protocol.EncryptionInitial))
+				Expect(p.header.Type).To(Equal(protocol.PacketTypeInitial))
+				Expect(p.header.Token).To(Equal(token))
+				Expect(p.raw).To(HaveLen(protocol.MinInitialPacketSize))
 			})
 		})
 	})