Cleanup based on feedback.
diff --git a/include/rive/animation/animation_state.hpp b/include/rive/animation/animation_state.hpp
index 2a2c580..a5ce875 100644
--- a/include/rive/animation/animation_state.hpp
+++ b/include/rive/animation/animation_state.hpp
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 
     public:
         const LinearAnimation* animation() const { return m_Animation; }
-        const LinearAnimation* animationOrEmpty() const;
+
         std::unique_ptr<StateInstance> makeInstance(ArtboardInstance*) const override;
     };
 } // namespace rive
diff --git a/src/animation/animation_state.cpp b/src/animation/animation_state.cpp
index cc1d37c..b8f92d1 100644
--- a/src/animation/animation_state.cpp
+++ b/src/animation/animation_state.cpp
@@ -9,9 +9,3 @@
 std::unique_ptr<StateInstance> AnimationState::makeInstance(ArtboardInstance* instance) const {
     return std::make_unique<AnimationStateInstance>(this, instance);
 }
-
-static LinearAnimation emptyAnimation;
-
-const LinearAnimation* AnimationState::animationOrEmpty() const {
-    return m_Animation == nullptr ? &emptyAnimation : m_Animation;
-}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/animation/animation_state_instance.cpp b/src/animation/animation_state_instance.cpp
index 7efd51d..6365708 100644
--- a/src/animation/animation_state_instance.cpp
+++ b/src/animation/animation_state_instance.cpp
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 
 using namespace rive;
 
+static LinearAnimation emptyAnimation;
+
 AnimationStateInstance::AnimationStateInstance(const AnimationState* state,
                                                ArtboardInstance* instance) :
     StateInstance(state),
@@ -13,7 +15,7 @@
     // SystemStateInstance (basically a no-op StateMachine state) which would
     // cause bad casts in parts of the code where we assumed AnimationStates
     // would have create AnimationStateInstances.
-    m_AnimationInstance(state->animationOrEmpty(), instance),
+    m_AnimationInstance(state->animation() ? state->animation() : &emptyAnimation, instance),
     m_KeepGoing(true) {}
 
 void AnimationStateInstance::advance(float seconds, Span<SMIInput*>) {