diff --git a/lib/lurker/request.rb b/lib/lurker/request.rb
index 0fa475b..125e688 100644
--- a/lib/lurker/request.rb
+++ b/lib/lurker/request.rb
@@ -22,8 +22,8 @@ def self.build_from_action_dispatch(request)
         path_info: request.path_info,
         path_params: request.env["#{PREFIX}.path_parameters"].stringify_keys.except('format'),
         query_params: request.env["#{PREFIX}.query_parameters"],
-        payload: request.env["#{PREFIX}.request_parameters"].merge(
-          request.env["#{PREFIX}.query_parameters"]
+        payload: request.env.fetch("#{PREFIX}.request_parameters", {}).merge(
+          request.env.fetch("#{PREFIX}.query_parameters", {})
         ).stringify_keys.except('action', "controller", 'format', '_method')
       )
     end
diff --git a/lib/lurker/spy.rb b/lib/lurker/spy.rb
index e34e09b..23b62a0 100644
--- a/lib/lurker/spy.rb
+++ b/lib/lurker/spy.rb
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ def extensions
         path_info: request.path_info,
         method: request.verb,
       }
-      unless request.query_params.empty?
+      unless request.query_params.blank?
         extensions[:query_params] = request.query_params
       end
       if suffix.present?