diff --git a/src/tensor/mod.rs b/src/tensor/mod.rs
index 7f62d7600..c0d218390 100644
--- a/src/tensor/mod.rs
+++ b/src/tensor/mod.rs
@@ -714,13 +714,18 @@ impl<T: Clone + TensorType> Tensor<T> {
     /// assert_eq!(a.dims(), &[9, 3]);
     /// ```
     pub fn reshape(&mut self, new_dims: &[usize]) {
-        let product = if new_dims != &[0] && !new_dims.is_empty() {
-            new_dims.iter().product::<usize>()
+        // in onnx parlance this corresponds to converting a tensor to a single element
+        if new_dims.is_empty() {
+            assert!(self.len() == 1 || self.len() == 0);
         } else {
-            0
-        };
-        assert!(self.len() == product);
-        self.dims = Vec::from(new_dims);
+            let product = if new_dims != &[0] {
+                new_dims.iter().product::<usize>()
+            } else {
+                0
+            };
+            assert!(self.len() == product);
+            self.dims = Vec::from(new_dims);
+        }
     }
 
     /// Move axis of the tensor