diff --git a/libnm-util/nm-setting.c b/libnm-util/nm-setting.c
index 4df2bced1d..105981bc34 100644
--- a/libnm-util/nm-setting.c
+++ b/libnm-util/nm-setting.c
@@ -349,12 +349,6 @@ nm_setting_to_hash (NMSetting *setting, NMSettingHashFlags flags)
 	}
 	g_free (property_specs);
 
-	/* Don't return empty hashes, except for base types */
-	if (g_hash_table_size (hash) < 1 && !_nm_setting_is_base_type (setting)) {
-		g_hash_table_destroy (hash);
-		hash = NULL;
-	}
-
 	return hash;
 }
 
diff --git a/libnm-util/tests/test-secrets.c b/libnm-util/tests/test-secrets.c
index 085f10bfc4..fb0ad4c7e5 100644
--- a/libnm-util/tests/test-secrets.c
+++ b/libnm-util/tests/test-secrets.c
@@ -681,7 +681,7 @@ test_update_secrets_whole_connection_empty_base_setting (void)
 
 	connection = wifi_connection_new ();
 	secrets = nm_connection_to_hash (connection, NM_SETTING_HASH_FLAG_ONLY_SECRETS);
-	g_assert_cmpint (g_hash_table_size (secrets), ==, 1);
+	g_assert_cmpint (g_hash_table_size (secrets), ==, 3);
 	g_assert (g_hash_table_lookup (secrets, NM_SETTING_WIRELESS_SETTING_NAME));
 
 	success = nm_connection_update_secrets (connection,