diff --git a/tests/testutil.py b/tests/testutil.py
index 87e68fc16c582379b63f37e74165e810e8add7b3..c33519af142b547be42f06332485ae584adc99c1 100644
--- a/tests/testutil.py
+++ b/tests/testutil.py
@@ -74,12 +74,12 @@ def Cost(number, currency='USD', date=FY_MID_DATE, label=None):
 
 def Posting(account, number,
             currency='USD', cost=None, price=None, flag=None,
-            **meta):
+            type_=bc_data.Posting, **meta):
     if cost is not None:
         cost = Cost(*cost)
-    if meta is None:
+    if not meta:
         meta = None
-    return bc_data.Posting(
+    return type_(
         account,
         Amount(number, currency),
         cost,
@@ -132,8 +132,9 @@ class Transaction:
             'lineno': 0,
         }
         self.meta.update(meta)
-        for posting in postings:
-            self.add_posting(*posting)
+        if postings is not None:
+            for posting in postings:
+                self.add_posting(*posting)
 
     def add_posting(self, arg, *args, **kwargs):
         """Add a posting to this transaction. Use any of these forms: