diff --git a/rest_framework/request.py b/rest_framework/request.py
index 6f4269fe5..4f413e03f 100644
--- a/rest_framework/request.py
+++ b/rest_framework/request.py
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ class Request(object):
             stream = None
 
         if stream is None or media_type is None:
-            if media_type and not is_form_media_type(media_type):
+            if media_type and is_form_media_type(media_type):
                 empty_data = QueryDict('', encoding=self._request._encoding)
             else:
                 empty_data = {}
diff --git a/rest_framework/test.py b/rest_framework/test.py
index 87255bca0..ebad19a4e 100644
--- a/rest_framework/test.py
+++ b/rest_framework/test.py
@@ -227,6 +227,15 @@ class APIRequestFactory(DjangoRequestFactory):
         data, content_type = self._encode_data(data, format, content_type)
         return self.generic('OPTIONS', path, data, content_type, **extra)
 
+    def generic(self, method, path, data='',
+                content_type='application/octet-stream', secure=False, **extra):
+        # Include the CONTENT_TYPE, regardless of whether or not data is empty.
+        if content_type is not None:
+            extra['CONTENT_TYPE'] = str(content_type)
+
+        return super(APIRequestFactory, self).generic(
+            method, path, data, content_type, secure, **extra)
+
     def request(self, **kwargs):
         request = super(APIRequestFactory, self).request(**kwargs)
         request._dont_enforce_csrf_checks = not self.enforce_csrf_checks
diff --git a/tests/test_testing.py b/tests/test_testing.py
index 4a68a1e1e..1af6ef02e 100644
--- a/tests/test_testing.py
+++ b/tests/test_testing.py
@@ -274,3 +274,12 @@ class TestAPIRequestFactory(TestCase):
         assert dict(request.GET) == {'demo': ['testé']}
         request = factory.get('/view/', {'demo': 'testé'})
         assert dict(request.GET) == {'demo': ['testé']}
+
+    def test_empty_request_content_type(self):
+        factory = APIRequestFactory()
+        request = factory.post(
+            '/post-view/',
+            data=None,
+            content_type='application/json',
+        )
+        assert request.META['CONTENT_TYPE'] == 'application/json'