diff --git a/core/modules/hal/lib/Drupal/hal/Normalizer/EntityNormalizer.php b/core/modules/hal/lib/Drupal/hal/Normalizer/EntityNormalizer.php
index c85d7b9..3e7d6d4 100644
--- a/core/modules/hal/lib/Drupal/hal/Normalizer/EntityNormalizer.php
+++ b/core/modules/hal/lib/Drupal/hal/Normalizer/EntityNormalizer.php
@@ -90,18 +90,45 @@ public function normalize($entity, $format = NULL, array $context = array()) {
    * @throws \Symfony\Component\Serializer\Exception\UnexpectedValueException
    */
   public function denormalize($data, $class, $format = NULL, array $context = array()) {
+    // Get type, necessary for determining which bundle to create.
     if (!isset($data['_links']['type'])) {
       throw new UnexpectedValueException('The type link relation must be specified.');
     }
     $type_uri = $data['_links']['type']['href'];
 
+    // Get language. language_default() is used because otherwise the entity
+    // system cannot understand the langcode when working in the DrupalUnitTest
+    // environment and importing data without an explicit langcode.
+    $langcode = isset($data['langcode']) ? $data['langcode'][0]['value'] : language_default();
+
+    // Create the entity.
     if ($typed_data_ids = $this->linkManager->getTypedDataIds($type_uri)) {
-      $entity = entity_create($typed_data_ids['entity_type'], array('langcode' => 'en', 'type' => $typed_data_ids['bundle']));
+      $entity = entity_create($typed_data_ids['entity_type'], array('langcode' => $langcode, 'type' => $typed_data_ids['bundle']));
     }
     else {
       throw new UnexpectedValueException(sprintf('Type %s does not correspond to an entity on this site.', $type_uri));
     }
 
+    // Get links and remove from data array.
+    $links = $data['_links'];
+    unset($data['_links']);
+    // Get embedded resources and remove from data array.
+    $embedded = array();
+    if (isset($data['_embedded'])) {
+      $embedded = $data['_embedded'];
+      unset($data['_embedded']);
+    }
+
+    // Iterate through remaining items in data array. These should all
+    // correspond to fields.
+    foreach ($data as $field_name => $field_data) {
+      // If the incoming value is an empty array, set the property to mark it
+      // for deletion.
+      if (empty($field_data) && is_array($field_data)) {
+        $entity->{$field_name} = array();
+      }
+    }
+
     return $entity;
   }
 
diff --git a/core/modules/hal/lib/Drupal/hal/Tests/DenormalizeTest.php b/core/modules/hal/lib/Drupal/hal/Tests/DenormalizeTest.php
index ae2b622..4108659 100644
--- a/core/modules/hal/lib/Drupal/hal/Tests/DenormalizeTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/hal/lib/Drupal/hal/Tests/DenormalizeTest.php
@@ -26,8 +26,6 @@ public static function getInfo() {
    * Tests that the type link relation in incoming data is handled correctly.
    */
   public function testTypeHandling() {
-    $entity_class = 'Drupal\entity_test\Plugin\Core\Entity\EntityTest';
-
     // Valid type.
     $data_with_valid_type = array(
       '_links' => array(
@@ -36,8 +34,8 @@ public function testTypeHandling() {
         ),
       ),
     );
-    $denormalized = $this->container->get('serializer')->denormalize($data_with_valid_type, $entity_class, $this->format);
-    $this->assertEqual(get_class($denormalized), $entity_class, 'Request with valid type results in creation of correct bundle.');
+    $denormalized = $this->container->get('serializer')->denormalize($data_with_valid_type, $this->entityClass, $this->format);
+    $this->assertEqual(get_class($denormalized),   $this->entityClass, 'Request with valid type results in creation of correct bundle.');
 
     // Invalid type.
     $data_with_invalid_type = array(
@@ -48,7 +46,7 @@ public function testTypeHandling() {
       ),
     );
     try {
-      $this->container->get('serializer')->denormalize($data_with_invalid_type, $entity_class, $this->format);
+      $this->container->get('serializer')->denormalize($data_with_invalid_type,   $this->entityClass, $this->format);
       $this->fail('Exception thrown when type is invalid.');
     }
     catch (UnexpectedValueException $e) {
@@ -61,7 +59,7 @@ public function testTypeHandling() {
       ),
     );
     try {
-      $this->container->get('serializer')->denormalize($data_with_no_type, $entity_class, $this->format);
+      $this->container->get('serializer')->denormalize($data_with_no_type,   $this->entityClass, $this->format);
       $this->fail('Exception thrown when no type is provided.');
     }
     catch (UnexpectedValueException $e) {
@@ -69,4 +67,31 @@ public function testTypeHandling() {
     }
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Test that a field set to an empty array is different than an empty field.
+   */
+  public function testMarkFieldForDeletion() {
+    $no_field_data = array(
+      '_links' => array(
+        'type' => array(
+          'href' => url('rest/types/entity_test/entity_test', array('absolute' => TRUE)),
+        ),
+      ),
+    );
+    $no_field_denormalized = $this->container->get('serializer')->denormalize($no_field_data, $this->entityClass, $this->format);
+    $no_field_value = $no_field_denormalized->field_test_text->getValue();
+
+    $empty_field_data = array(
+      '_links' => array(
+        'type' => array(
+          'href' => url('rest/types/entity_test/entity_test', array('absolute' => TRUE)),
+        ),
+      ),
+      'field_test_text' => array(),
+    );
+    $empty_field_denormalized = $this->container->get('serializer')->denormalize($empty_field_data, $this->entityClass, $this->format);
+    $empty_field_value = $empty_field_denormalized->field_test_text->getValue();
+
+    $this->assertTrue(!empty($no_field_data) && empty($empty_field_value), 'A field set to an empty array in the data is structured differently than an empty field.');
+  }
 }
diff --git a/core/modules/hal/lib/Drupal/hal/Tests/NormalizerTestBase.php b/core/modules/hal/lib/Drupal/hal/Tests/NormalizerTestBase.php
index b577f20..04d3118 100644
--- a/core/modules/hal/lib/Drupal/hal/Tests/NormalizerTestBase.php
+++ b/core/modules/hal/lib/Drupal/hal/Tests/NormalizerTestBase.php
@@ -32,6 +32,13 @@
   protected $format = 'hal_json';
 
   /**
+   * The class name of the test class.
+   *
+   * @var string
+   */
+  protected $entityClass = 'Drupal\entity_test\Plugin\Core\Entity\EntityTest';
+
+  /**
    * Overrides \Drupal\simpletest\DrupalUnitTestBase::setup().
    */
   function setUp() {