diff --git a/datastore/google/cloud/datastore/helpers.py b/datastore/google/cloud/datastore/helpers.py
index f3838668fe3d..964eb2a37204 100644
--- a/datastore/google/cloud/datastore/helpers.py
+++ b/datastore/google/cloud/datastore/helpers.py
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ def entity_from_protobuf(pb):
         # Check if ``value_pb`` was excluded from index. Lists need to be
         # special-cased and we require all ``exclude_from_indexes`` values
         # in a list agree.
-        if is_list:
+        if is_list and len(value) > 0:
             exclude_values = set(value_pb.exclude_from_indexes
                                  for value_pb in value_pb.array_value.values)
             if len(exclude_values) != 1:
diff --git a/datastore/tests/system/test_system.py b/datastore/tests/system/test_system.py
index 3ab7295f50c4..693b92b3d16c 100644
--- a/datastore/tests/system/test_system.py
+++ b/datastore/tests/system/test_system.py
@@ -425,6 +425,21 @@ def test_query_distinct_on(self):
         self.assertEqual(entities[0]['name'], 'Catelyn')
         self.assertEqual(entities[1]['name'], 'Arya')
 
+    def test_empty_array_value(self):
+        from google.cloud import datastore
+        from google.cloud.datastore_v1.proto import datastore_pb2
+        from google.cloud.datastore_v1.proto import entity_pb2
+        client = self.CLIENT
+        key = client.key('Foo', 'Bar')
+        entity = datastore.Entity(key=key)
+        with client.batch() as batch:
+            batch.put(entity)
+            mutations = batch.mutations
+            mutation = mutations[0]
+            value_pb = mutation.upsert.properties.get_or_create('name-name')
+            value_pb.array_value.CopyFrom(entity_pb2.ArrayValue(values=[]))
+        client.get(key)
+
 
 class TestDatastoreTransaction(TestDatastore):
 
diff --git a/datastore/tests/unit/test_helpers.py b/datastore/tests/unit/test_helpers.py
index 3624665a2a05..4fc4c179dbcc 100644
--- a/datastore/tests/unit/test_helpers.py
+++ b/datastore/tests/unit/test_helpers.py
@@ -135,6 +135,24 @@ def test_mismatched_value_indexed(self):
         with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
             self._call_fut(entity_pb)
 
+    def test_index_mismatch_ignores_empty_list(self):
+        from google.cloud.datastore_v1.proto import entity_pb2
+        from google.cloud.datastore.helpers import _new_value_pb
+
+        _PROJECT = 'PROJECT'
+        _KIND = 'KIND'
+        _ID = 1234
+        entity_pb = entity_pb2.Entity()
+        entity_pb.key.partition_id.project_id = _PROJECT
+        entity_pb.key.path.add(kind=_KIND, id=_ID)
+
+        array_val_pb = _new_value_pb(entity_pb, 'baz')
+        array_val_pb.array_value.CopyFrom(entity_pb2.ArrayValue(values=[]))
+
+        entity = self._call_fut(entity_pb)
+        entity_dict = dict(entity)
+        self.assertEqual(entity_dict['baz'], [])
+
     def test_entity_no_key(self):
         from google.cloud.datastore_v1.proto import entity_pb2