diff --git a/src/newrelic_telemetry_sdk/metric_batch.py b/src/newrelic_telemetry_sdk/metric_batch.py
index 943de12..23644d6 100644
--- a/src/newrelic_telemetry_sdk/metric_batch.py
+++ b/src/newrelic_telemetry_sdk/metric_batch.py
@@ -51,8 +51,7 @@ def create_identity(name, tags=None, typ=None):
             "gauge" or None. Default: None (gauge type).
         :type typ: str
         """
-        if tags:
-            tags = frozenset(tags.items())
+        tags = frozenset(tags.items()) if tags else None
         return (typ, name, tags)
 
     def record_gauge(self, name, value, tags=None):
diff --git a/tests/test_metric_batch.py b/tests/test_metric_batch.py
index 1f98d23..6d40ac2 100644
--- a/tests/test_metric_batch.py
+++ b/tests/test_metric_batch.py
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ def _common(self, value):
         self._internal_common = value
 
 
-@pytest.mark.parametrize("tags", (None, {"foo": "bar"}))
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("tags", (None, {}, {"foo": "bar"}))
 def test_create_identity(tags):
     expected_tags = frozenset(tags.items()) if tags else None
     identity = MetricBatch.create_identity("name", tags)
@@ -79,12 +79,13 @@ def test_create_identity(tags):
         ("record_summary", 1, 2, {"count": 2, "max": 2, "min": 1, "sum": 3}),
     ),
 )
-def test_merge_metric(record_method, value_1, value_2, final_value):
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("tags", (None, {}))
+def test_merge_metric(record_method, value_1, value_2, final_value, tags):
     batch = VerifyLockMetricBatch()
 
     record_method = getattr(batch, record_method)
     record_method("name", value_1)
-    record_method("name", value_2)
+    record_method("name", value_2, tags=tags)
 
     assert len(batch._internal_batch) == 1
     identity, value = batch._internal_batch.popitem()