diff -u b/modules/cart/commerce_cart.module b/modules/cart/commerce_cart.module
--- b/modules/cart/commerce_cart.module
+++ b/modules/cart/commerce_cart.module
@@ -654,18 +654,17 @@
     // Default to an empty cart block message.
     $content = theme('commerce_cart_empty_block');
 
-    // First check to ensure there are products in the shopping cart.
-    if (!commerce_cart_is_cart_empty()) {
-      $order = commerce_cart_order_load($user->uid);
-
-      // Build the variables array to send to the cart block template.
-      $variables = array(
-        'order' => $order,
-        'contents_view' => commerce_embed_view('commerce_cart_block', 'default', array($order->order_id), $_GET['q']),
-      );
-
-      $content = theme('commerce_cart_block', $variables);
-    }
+	$order = commerce_cart_order_load($user->uid);
+	// If there are one or more products in the cart...
+	if (!commerce_cart_is_cart_empty($order)) {
+	  // Build the variables array to send to the cart block template.
+	  $variables = array(
+		'order' => $order,
+		'contents_view' => commerce_embed_view('commerce_cart_block', 'default', array($order->order_id), $_GET['q']),
+	  );
+  
+	  $content = theme('commerce_cart_block', $variables);
+	}
 
     return array('subject' => t('Shopping cart'), 'content' => $content);
   }
@@ -674,13 +673,17 @@
 /**
  * Checks if the current user has items in their cart.
  *
+ * @param $order
+ *   Optional: The cart order to check.
+ *
  * @return
  *   Boolean indicating whether or not the shopping cart is empty.
  */
-function commerce_cart_is_cart_empty() {
+function commerce_cart_is_cart_empty($order = null) {
   global $user;
 
-  if ($order = commerce_cart_order_load($user->uid)) {
+  $order = (!$order) ? commerce_cart_order_load($user->uid) : $order;
+  if ($order) {
     $wrapper = entity_metadata_wrapper('commerce_order', $order);
 
     // If there are one or more products in the cart...
@@ -692,7 +695,7 @@
   return TRUE;
 }
 
- /**
+/**
  * Checks if a cart order should be refreshed based on the shopping cart refresh
  * settings on the order settings form.
  *