diff --git a/R/data-frame.R b/R/data-frame.R
index 82586d0..c8523b9 100644
--- a/R/data-frame.R
+++ b/R/data-frame.R
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ NULL
 #' @param x A list or `NULL` (see return)
 quick_df <- function(x = NULL) {
   if (is.null(x)) {
-    return(empty_df())
+    return(.empty_df)
   }
 
   if (!is.list(x)) {
@@ -38,12 +38,11 @@ quick_df <- function(x = NULL) {
 
   switch(
     length(n) + 1L,
-    empty_df(),
+    .empty_df,
     struct(
       x = x,
       class = "data.frame",
-      # # nolint next: seq_linter
-      names = names(x) %||% make.names(1:length(x)), 
+      names = names(x) %||% seq_along(x),
       row.names = c(NA_integer_, -n)
     ),
     stop(cond_quick_df_list())
@@ -56,6 +55,13 @@ empty_df <- function() {
   struct(list(), "data.frame", row.names = integer(), names = character())
 }
 
+.empty_df <- structure(
+  list(),
+  class = "data.frame",
+  names = character(),
+  row.names = integer()
+)
+
 #' @export
 #' @rdname quick_df
 #' @param ... Columns as `tag = value` (passed to `list()`)
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-data-frame.R b/tests/testthat/test-data-frame.R
index dcf2656..50fc102 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-data-frame.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-data-frame.R
@@ -20,3 +20,7 @@ test_that("quick_df()", {
   expect_identical(quick_df(NULL), empty_df())
   expect_identical(quick_df(list()), empty_df())
 })
+
+test_that("empty_df", {
+  expect_identical(empty_df(), .empty_df)
+})