diff --git a/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/SerializerBuildHelper.scala b/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/SerializerBuildHelper.scala
index 27090ff6fa5d6..cd087514f4be3 100644
--- a/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/SerializerBuildHelper.scala
+++ b/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/SerializerBuildHelper.scala
@@ -450,10 +450,15 @@ object SerializerBuildHelper {
   private def validateAndSerializeElement(
       enc: AgnosticEncoder[_],
       nullable: Boolean): Expression => Expression = { input =>
+    val expected = enc match {
+      case OptionEncoder(_) => lenientExternalDataTypeFor(enc)
+      case _ => enc.dataType
+    }
+
     expressionWithNullSafety(
       createSerializer(
         enc,
-        ValidateExternalType(input, enc.dataType, lenientExternalDataTypeFor(enc))),
+        ValidateExternalType(input, expected, lenientExternalDataTypeFor(enc))),
       nullable,
       WalkedTypePath())
   }
diff --git a/sql/catalyst/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/encoders/ExpressionEncoderSuite.scala b/sql/catalyst/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/encoders/ExpressionEncoderSuite.scala
index dc5e22f0571ea..35d8327b93086 100644
--- a/sql/catalyst/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/encoders/ExpressionEncoderSuite.scala
+++ b/sql/catalyst/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/encoders/ExpressionEncoderSuite.scala
@@ -479,6 +479,18 @@ class ExpressionEncoderSuite extends CodegenInterpretedPlanTest with AnalysisTes
   encodeDecodeTest(Option.empty[Int], "empty option of int")
   encodeDecodeTest(Option("abc"), "option of string")
   encodeDecodeTest(Option.empty[String], "empty option of string")
+  encodeDecodeTest(Seq(Some(Seq(0))), "SPARK-45896: seq of option of seq")
+  encodeDecodeTest(Map(0 -> Some(Seq(0))), "SPARK-45896: map of option of seq")
+  encodeDecodeTest(Seq(Some(Timestamp.valueOf("2023-01-01 00:00:00"))),
+    "SPARK-45896: seq of option of timestamp")
+  encodeDecodeTest(Map(0 -> Some(Timestamp.valueOf("2023-01-01 00:00:00"))),
+    "SPARK-45896: map of option of timestamp")
+  encodeDecodeTest(Seq(Some(Date.valueOf("2023-01-01"))),
+    "SPARK-45896: seq of option of date")
+  encodeDecodeTest(Map(0 -> Some(Date.valueOf("2023-01-01"))),
+    "SPARK-45896: map of option of date")
+  encodeDecodeTest(Seq(Some(BigDecimal(200))), "SPARK-45896: seq of option of bigdecimal")
+  encodeDecodeTest(Map(0 -> Some(BigDecimal(200))), "SPARK-45896: map of option of bigdecimal")
 
   encodeDecodeTest(ScroogeLikeExample(1),
     "SPARK-40385 class with only a companion object constructor")
diff --git a/sql/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/DatasetSuite.scala b/sql/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/DatasetSuite.scala
index fe64e5abc5350..152fd0d7d8ed7 100644
--- a/sql/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/DatasetSuite.scala
+++ b/sql/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/DatasetSuite.scala
@@ -274,6 +274,13 @@ class DatasetSuite extends QueryTest
       (ClassData("one", 2), 1L), (ClassData("two", 3), 1L))
   }
 
+  test("SPARK-45896: seq of option of seq") {
+    val ds = Seq(DataSeqOptSeq(Seq(Some(Seq(0))))).toDS()
+    checkDataset(
+      ds,
+      DataSeqOptSeq(Seq(Some(List(0)))))
+  }
+
   test("select") {
     val ds = Seq(("a", 1), ("b", 2), ("c", 3)).toDS()
     checkDataset(
@@ -2760,6 +2767,8 @@ case class ClassNullableData(a: String, b: Integer)
 case class NestedStruct(f: ClassData)
 case class DeepNestedStruct(f: NestedStruct)
 
+case class DataSeqOptSeq(a: Seq[Option[Seq[Int]]])
+
 /**
  * A class used to test serialization using encoders. This class throws exceptions when using
  * Java serialization -- so the only way it can be "serialized" is through our encoders.