diff --git a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/utils/JsonUtils.java b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/utils/JsonUtils.java
index e7d8e9d3..7c000e3e 100644
--- a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/utils/JsonUtils.java
+++ b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/utils/JsonUtils.java
@@ -244,6 +244,7 @@ public class JsonUtils
          .registerModule(new JavaTimeModule())
          .setSerializationInclusion(JsonInclude.Include.NON_NULL)
          .setSerializationInclusion(JsonInclude.Include.NON_EMPTY)
+         .configure(SerializationFeature.FAIL_ON_EMPTY_BEANS, false)
          .configure(SerializationFeature.WRITE_DATES_AS_TIMESTAMPS, false);
 
       /* todo - some future version we may need to do inclusion/exclusion lists like this: