diff --git a/modules/serialization/src/Normalizer/ComplexDataNormalizer.php b/modules/serialization/src/Normalizer/ComplexDataNormalizer.php
index 3d2031218f..834e2ec569 100644
--- a/modules/serialization/src/Normalizer/ComplexDataNormalizer.php
+++ b/modules/serialization/src/Normalizer/ComplexDataNormalizer.php
@@ -30,6 +30,9 @@ class ComplexDataNormalizer extends NormalizerBase {
     foreach ($object as $name => $field) {
       $attributes[$name] = $this->serializer->normalize($field, $format, $context);
     }
+    if (empty($attributes)) {
+      return $object->getValue();
+    }
     return $attributes;
   }