diff --git a/arangod/Utils/Transaction.cpp b/arangod/Utils/Transaction.cpp
index 7e90c367c8..1a14513840 100644
--- a/arangod/Utils/Transaction.cpp
+++ b/arangod/Utils/Transaction.cpp
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ static OperationResult DBServerResponseBad(std::shared_ptr<VPackBuilder> resultB
 }
 
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-/// @brief Insert an errror reported instead of the new document
+/// @brief Insert an error reported instead of the new document
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
 static void createBabiesError(VPackBuilder& builder,
@@ -164,6 +164,15 @@ static void createBabiesError(VPackBuilder& builder,
   }
 }
 
+static OperationResult EmptyResult(bool waitForSync) {
+  VPackBuilder resultBuilder;
+  resultBuilder.openArray();
+  resultBuilder.close();
+  std::unordered_map<int, size_t> errorCounter;
+  return OperationResult(resultBuilder.steal(), nullptr, "", TRI_ERROR_NO_ERROR,
+                         waitForSync, errorCounter); 
+}
+
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 /// @brief sort ORs for the same attribute so they are in ascending value
 /// order. this will only work if the condition is for a single attribute
@@ -1774,6 +1783,9 @@ OperationResult Transaction::insert(std::string const& collectionName,
     // must provide a document object or an array of documents
     THROW_ARANGO_EXCEPTION(TRI_ERROR_ARANGO_DOCUMENT_TYPE_INVALID);
   }
+  if (value.isArray() && value.length() == 0) {
+    return EmptyResult(options.waitForSync);
+  }
 
   // Validate Edges
   OperationOptions optionsCopy = options;
@@ -2024,6 +2036,9 @@ OperationResult Transaction::update(std::string const& collectionName,
     // must provide a document object or an array of documents
     THROW_ARANGO_EXCEPTION(TRI_ERROR_ARANGO_DOCUMENT_TYPE_INVALID);
   }
+  if (newValue.isArray() && newValue.length() == 0) {
+    return EmptyResult(options.waitForSync);
+  }
 
   OperationOptions optionsCopy = options;
 
@@ -2078,6 +2093,9 @@ OperationResult Transaction::replace(std::string const& collectionName,
     // must provide a document object or an array of documents
     THROW_ARANGO_EXCEPTION(TRI_ERROR_ARANGO_DOCUMENT_TYPE_INVALID);
   }
+  if (newValue.isArray() && newValue.length() == 0) {
+    return EmptyResult(options.waitForSync);
+  }
 
   OperationOptions optionsCopy = options;
 
@@ -2338,6 +2356,9 @@ OperationResult Transaction::remove(std::string const& collectionName,
     // must provide a document object or an array of documents
     THROW_ARANGO_EXCEPTION(TRI_ERROR_ARANGO_DOCUMENT_TYPE_INVALID);
   }
+  if (value.isArray() && value.length() == 0) {
+    return EmptyResult(options.waitForSync);
+  }
 
   OperationOptions optionsCopy = options;
 
diff --git a/js/common/tests/shell/shell-document-babies.js b/js/common/tests/shell/shell-document-babies.js
index 879fa13c06..d6f1fde22e 100644
--- a/js/common/tests/shell/shell-document-babies.js
+++ b/js/common/tests/shell/shell-document-babies.js
@@ -882,6 +882,32 @@ function CollectionDocumentSuiteBabies() {
         assertEqual(ERRORS.ERROR_ARANGO_DOCUMENT_TYPE_INVALID.code,
           err6.errorNum);
       }
+    },
+
+    ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+    /// @brief test insert/replace/update/remove with empty lists
+    ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+    testEmptyBabiesList: function() {
+      // Insert
+      let result = collection.insert([]);
+      assertTrue(Array.isArray(result));
+      assertEqual(result.length, 0);
+
+      // Update
+      result = collection.update([], []);
+      assertTrue(Array.isArray(result));
+      assertEqual(result.length, 0);
+
+      // Replace
+      result = collection.replace([], []);
+      assertTrue(Array.isArray(result));
+      assertEqual(result.length, 0);
+
+      // Remove
+      result = collection.remove([]);
+      assertTrue(Array.isArray(result));
+      assertEqual(result.length, 0);
     }
 
   };