diff --git a/src/report/report-system/html-acct-table.scm b/src/report/report-system/html-acct-table.scm
index 29106fef2c..c95ea3b76e 100644
--- a/src/report/report-system/html-acct-table.scm
+++ b/src/report/report-system/html-acct-table.scm
@@ -679,26 +679,31 @@
                                         shares))))
            splits))
 
-        (merge-splits (gnc:account-get-trans-type-splits-interval
-                       accts #f start-date end-date)
-                      #f)
-        (cond
-         ((equal? balance-mode 'post-closing) #t)
-
-         ((equal? balance-mode 'pre-closing)
-          (merge-splits (gnc:account-get-trans-type-splits-interval
-                         accts closing-pattern start-date end-date)
-                        #t))
-
-         ((equal? balance-mode 'pre-adjusting)
-          (merge-splits (gnc:account-get-trans-type-splits-interval
-                         accts closing-pattern start-date end-date)
-                        #t)
-          (merge-splits (gnc:account-get-trans-type-splits-interval
-                         accts adjusting-pattern start-date end-date)
-                        #t))
-         (else (begin (display "you fail it")
-                      (newline))))
+        ;; If you pass a null account list to gnc:account-get-trans-type-splits-interval
+        ;; it returns splits from all accounts rather than from no accounts.  This is
+        ;; probably a bug but we'll work around it for now.
+        (if (not (null? accts))
+            (begin
+              (merge-splits (gnc:account-get-trans-type-splits-interval
+                             accts #f start-date end-date)
+                            #f)
+              (cond
+               ((equal? balance-mode 'post-closing) #t)
+      
+               ((equal? balance-mode 'pre-closing)
+                (merge-splits (gnc:account-get-trans-type-splits-interval
+                               accts closing-pattern start-date end-date)
+                              #t))
+      
+               ((equal? balance-mode 'pre-adjusting)
+                (merge-splits (gnc:account-get-trans-type-splits-interval
+                               accts closing-pattern start-date end-date)
+                              #t)
+                (merge-splits (gnc:account-get-trans-type-splits-interval
+                               accts adjusting-pattern start-date end-date)
+                              #t))
+               (else (begin (display "you fail it")
+                            (newline))))))
         hash-table
         )
 
diff --git a/src/report/standard-reports/balance-sheet.scm b/src/report/standard-reports/balance-sheet.scm
index 42da4f5f15..f16d0e2178 100644
--- a/src/report/standard-reports/balance-sheet.scm
+++ b/src/report/standard-reports/balance-sheet.scm
@@ -507,8 +507,13 @@
 			  neg-retained-earnings
 			  #f)
 	  (set! neg-trading-balance
-	        (gnc:accountlist-get-comm-balance-at-date
-	         trading-accounts date-tp))
+	        ;; If you pass a null account list to gnc:accountlist-get-comm-balance-at-date
+	        ;; it calculates a balance for all accounts, instead of no accounts.  This is 
+	        ;; probably a bug, but for now we'll work around it.
+	        (if (null? trading-accounts)
+	            (gnc:make-commodity-collector)
+	            (gnc:accountlist-get-comm-balance-at-date
+	             trading-accounts date-tp)))
 	  (set! trading-balance (gnc:make-commodity-collector))
 	  (trading-balance 'minusmerge
 	                   neg-trading-balance