diff --git a/java/vector/src/main/java/org/apache/arrow/vector/complex/ListVector.java b/java/vector/src/main/java/org/apache/arrow/vector/complex/ListVector.java
index 7b6b97a8ed9..ecb19efa57a 100644
--- a/java/vector/src/main/java/org/apache/arrow/vector/complex/ListVector.java
+++ b/java/vector/src/main/java/org/apache/arrow/vector/complex/ListVector.java
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@
 import org.apache.arrow.vector.schema.ArrowFieldNode;
 import org.apache.arrow.vector.types.Types.MinorType;
 import org.apache.arrow.vector.types.pojo.ArrowType;
+import org.apache.arrow.vector.types.pojo.ArrowType.Null;
 import org.apache.arrow.vector.types.pojo.DictionaryEncoding;
 import org.apache.arrow.vector.types.pojo.Field;
 import org.apache.arrow.vector.types.pojo.FieldType;
@@ -297,6 +298,9 @@ public int getBufferSize() {
 
   @Override
   public Field getField() {
+    if (getDataVector() == ZeroVector.INSTANCE) {
+      return new Field(name, fieldType, ImmutableList.of(new Field(DATA_VECTOR_NAME, FieldType.nullable(Null.INSTANCE), null)));
+    }
     return new Field(name, fieldType, ImmutableList.of(getDataVector().getField()));
   }