diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/rest/action/admin/indices/RestGetMappingAction.java b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/rest/action/admin/indices/RestGetMappingAction.java
index d596ab238cdb5..f379f18fe71d7 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/rest/action/admin/indices/RestGetMappingAction.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/rest/action/admin/indices/RestGetMappingAction.java
@@ -89,9 +89,6 @@ public RestResponse buildResponse(GetMappingsResponse response, XContentBuilder
 
                 builder.startObject();
                 for (ObjectObjectCursor<String, ImmutableOpenMap<String, MappingMetaData>> indexEntry : mappingsByIndex) {
-                    if (indexEntry.value.isEmpty()) {
-                        continue;
-                    }
                     builder.startObject(indexEntry.key);
                     builder.startObject(Fields.MAPPINGS);
                     for (ObjectObjectCursor<String, MappingMetaData> typeEntry : indexEntry.value) {
diff --git a/rest-api-spec/src/main/resources/rest-api-spec/test/indices.get_mapping/10_basic.yml b/rest-api-spec/src/main/resources/rest-api-spec/test/indices.get_mapping/10_basic.yml
index eed35fe422644..e9418f0a6cb86 100644
--- a/rest-api-spec/src/main/resources/rest-api-spec/test/indices.get_mapping/10_basic.yml
+++ b/rest-api-spec/src/main/resources/rest-api-spec/test/indices.get_mapping/10_basic.yml
@@ -19,6 +19,19 @@ setup:
                 type_2: {}
                 type_3: {}
 
+---
+"Get /{index}/_mapping with empty mappings":
+
+ - do:
+     indices.create:
+       index: t
+
+ - do:
+     indices.get_mapping:
+       index: t
+
+ - match: { t.mappings: {}}
+
 ---
 "Get /_mapping":