diff --git a/openmc/capi/cell.py b/openmc/capi/cell.py
index 3c14aae528..0ab3f2583e 100644
--- a/openmc/capi/cell.py
+++ b/openmc/capi/cell.py
@@ -65,10 +65,7 @@ class Cell(_FortranObjectWithID):
             if new:
                 # Determine ID to assign
                 if uid is None:
-                    try:
-                        uid = max(mapping) + 1
-                    except ValueError:
-                        uid = 1
+                    uid = max(mapping, default=0) + 1
                 else:
                     if uid in mapping:
                         raise AllocationError('A cell with ID={} has already '
diff --git a/openmc/capi/filter.py b/openmc/capi/filter.py
index ac78c0a341..79c19a6248 100644
--- a/openmc/capi/filter.py
+++ b/openmc/capi/filter.py
@@ -66,10 +66,7 @@ class Filter(_FortranObjectWithID):
             if new:
                 # Determine ID to assign
                 if uid is None:
-                    try:
-                        uid = max(mapping) + 1
-                    except ValueError:
-                        uid = 1
+                    uid = max(mapping, default=0) + 1
                 else:
                     if uid in mapping:
                         raise AllocationError('A filter with ID={} has already '
diff --git a/openmc/capi/material.py b/openmc/capi/material.py
index 8a55c27173..62d6df012a 100644
--- a/openmc/capi/material.py
+++ b/openmc/capi/material.py
@@ -78,10 +78,7 @@ class Material(_FortranObjectWithID):
             if new:
                 # Determine ID to assign
                 if uid is None:
-                    try:
-                        uid = max(mapping) + 1
-                    except ValueError:
-                        uid = 1
+                    uid = max(mapping, default=0) + 1
                 else:
                     if uid in mapping:
                         raise AllocationError('A material with ID={} has already '
diff --git a/openmc/capi/tally.py b/openmc/capi/tally.py
index f50a19001d..a78347177d 100644
--- a/openmc/capi/tally.py
+++ b/openmc/capi/tally.py
@@ -155,10 +155,7 @@ class Tally(_FortranObjectWithID):
             if new:
                 # Determine ID to assign
                 if uid is None:
-                    try:
-                        uid = max(mapping) + 1
-                    except ValueError:
-                        uid = 1
+                    uid = max(mapping, default=0) + 1
                 else:
                     if uid in mapping:
                         raise AllocationError('A tally with ID={} has already '