diff --git a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/store/service/impl/ClusterMessagingProtocol.java b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/store/service/impl/ClusterMessagingProtocol.java
index 9a792bb..e4c9686 100644
--- a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/store/service/impl/ClusterMessagingProtocol.java
+++ b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/store/service/impl/ClusterMessagingProtocol.java
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.Collection;
+import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.HashSet;
 import java.util.LinkedList;
@@ -133,6 +134,7 @@
                     HashMap.class,
                     HashSet.class,
                     LinkedList.class,
+                    Collections.singletonList("").getClass(),
                     byte[].class)
             .build();
 
@@ -180,4 +182,4 @@
         }
         return null;
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}