diff --git a/ansible/roles/generic-service/templates/systemd.service.j2 b/ansible/roles/generic-service/templates/systemd.service.j2
index 201b7942d..5f46e0582 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/generic-service/templates/systemd.service.j2
+++ b/ansible/roles/generic-service/templates/systemd.service.j2
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ Restart=on-failure
 User={{service}}
 Group={{service}}
 PermissionsStartOnly=true
-ExecStart=/usr/bin/tendermint node{{(service=='tendermint')|ternary(' --proxy_app=dummy','')}}
+ExecStart=/usr/bin/tendermint node{{(service=='tendermint')|ternary(' --proxy_app=dummy','')}} --consensus.create_empty_blocks=false
 ExecReload=/bin/kill -HUP $MAINPID
 KillSignal=SIGTERM