diff --git a/rest_framework/fields.py b/rest_framework/fields.py
index 58e28ed4c..38aac3640 100644
--- a/rest_framework/fields.py
+++ b/rest_framework/fields.py
@@ -1614,7 +1614,8 @@ class ListField(Field):
             if len(val) > 0:
                 # Support QueryDict lists in HTML input.
                 return val
-            return html.parse_html_list(dictionary, prefix=self.field_name)
+            return html.parse_html_list(dictionary, prefix=self.field_name, default=empty)
+
         return dictionary.get(self.field_name, empty)
 
     def to_internal_value(self, data):
diff --git a/rest_framework/serializers.py b/rest_framework/serializers.py
index 7e84372de..34cb74a86 100644
--- a/rest_framework/serializers.py
+++ b/rest_framework/serializers.py
@@ -607,7 +607,7 @@ class ListSerializer(BaseSerializer):
         # We override the default field access in order to support
         # lists in HTML forms.
         if html.is_html_input(dictionary):
-            return html.parse_html_list(dictionary, prefix=self.field_name)
+            return html.parse_html_list(dictionary, prefix=self.field_name, default=empty)
         return dictionary.get(self.field_name, empty)
 
     def run_validation(self, data=empty):
@@ -635,7 +635,7 @@ class ListSerializer(BaseSerializer):
         List of dicts of native values <- List of dicts of primitive datatypes.
         """
         if html.is_html_input(data):
-            data = html.parse_html_list(data)
+            data = html.parse_html_list(data, default=empty)
 
         if not isinstance(data, list):
             message = self.error_messages['not_a_list'].format(
diff --git a/rest_framework/utils/html.py b/rest_framework/utils/html.py
index 77167e470..8fd6af567 100644
--- a/rest_framework/utils/html.py
+++ b/rest_framework/utils/html.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ def is_html_input(dictionary):
     return hasattr(dictionary, 'getlist')
 
 
-def parse_html_list(dictionary, prefix=''):
+def parse_html_list(dictionary, prefix='', default=[]):
     """
     Used to support list values in HTML forms.
     Supports lists of primitives and/or dictionaries.
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@ def parse_html_list(dictionary, prefix=''):
         {'foo': 'abc', 'bar': 'def'},
         {'foo': 'hij', 'bar': 'klm'}
     ]
+
+    :returns a list of objects, or the value specified in ``default`` if the list is empty
     """
     ret = {}
     regex = re.compile(r'^%s\[([0-9]+)\](.*)$' % re.escape(prefix))
@@ -59,7 +61,7 @@ def parse_html_list(dictionary, prefix=''):
             ret[index][key] = value
         else:
             ret[index] = MultiValueDict({key: [value]})
-    return [ret[item] for item in sorted(ret)]
+    return [ret[item] for item in sorted(ret)] if len(ret.keys()) > 0 else default
 
 
 def parse_html_dict(dictionary, prefix=''):
diff --git a/tests/test_serializer_nested.py b/tests/test_serializer_nested.py
index 09b8dd105..1cd0caf85 100644
--- a/tests/test_serializer_nested.py
+++ b/tests/test_serializer_nested.py
@@ -202,3 +202,42 @@ class TestNestedSerializerWithList:
 
         assert serializer.is_valid()
         assert serializer.validated_data['nested']['example'] == {1, 2}
+
+
+class TestNotRequiredNestedSerializerWithMany:
+    def setup(self):
+        class NestedSerializer(serializers.Serializer):
+            one = serializers.IntegerField(max_value=10)
+
+        class TestSerializer(serializers.Serializer):
+            nested = NestedSerializer(required=False, many=True)
+
+        self.Serializer = TestSerializer
+
+    def test_json_validate(self):
+        input_data = {}
+        serializer = self.Serializer(data=input_data)
+
+        # request is empty, therefor 'nested' should not be in serializer.data
+        assert serializer.is_valid()
+        assert 'nested' not in serializer.validated_data
+
+        input_data = {'nested': [{'one': '1'}, {'one': 2}]}
+        serializer = self.Serializer(data=input_data)
+        assert serializer.is_valid()
+        assert 'nested' in serializer.validated_data
+
+    def test_multipart_validate(self):
+        # leave querydict empty
+        input_data = QueryDict('')
+        serializer = self.Serializer(data=input_data)
+
+        # the querydict is empty, therefor 'nested' should not be in serializer.data
+        assert serializer.is_valid()
+        assert 'nested' not in serializer.validated_data
+
+        input_data = QueryDict('nested[0]one=1&nested[1]one=2')
+
+        serializer = self.Serializer(data=input_data)
+        assert serializer.is_valid()
+        assert 'nested' in serializer.validated_data