diff --git a/rest_framework/fields.py b/rest_framework/fields.py
index 5139033c3..9c507392a 100644
--- a/rest_framework/fields.py
+++ b/rest_framework/fields.py
@@ -1522,7 +1522,7 @@ class ListField(Field):
     }
 
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
-        child = kwargs.pop('child')
+        child = kwargs.pop('child', None)
         if child is None:
             child = copy.deepcopy(self.child)
         self.child = child
@@ -1586,7 +1586,7 @@ class DictField(Field):
     }
 
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
-        child = kwargs.pop('child')
+        child = kwargs.pop('child', None)
         if child is None:
             child = copy.deepcopy(self.child)
         self.child = child
diff --git a/tests/test_fields.py b/tests/test_fields.py
index 38dc5f7a7..48403f55e 100644
--- a/tests/test_fields.py
+++ b/tests/test_fields.py
@@ -1734,6 +1734,13 @@ class TestUnvalidatedListField(FieldValues):
     field = serializers.ListField()
 
 
+class TestUnvalidatedListFieldWithChildNone(TestUnvalidatedListField):
+    """
+        Values for `ListField` with `child=None`.
+    """
+    field = serializers.ListField(child=None)
+
+
 class TestDictField(FieldValues):
     """
     Values for `ListField` with CharField as child.
@@ -1799,6 +1806,13 @@ class TestUnvalidatedDictField(FieldValues):
     field = serializers.DictField()
 
 
+class TestUnvalidatedDictFieldWithChildNone(TestUnvalidatedDictField):
+    """
+        Values for `ListField` with `child=None`.
+    """
+    field = serializers.DictField(child=None)
+
+
 class TestJSONField(FieldValues):
     """
     Values for `JSONField`.