diff --git a/cpp/src/io/json/write_json.cu b/cpp/src/io/json/write_json.cu
index dc7199d7ab1..e1241f8f90c 100644
--- a/cpp/src/io/json/write_json.cu
+++ b/cpp/src/io/json/write_json.cu
@@ -170,6 +170,9 @@ struct escape_strings_fn {
                                               rmm::cuda_stream_view stream,
                                               rmm::device_async_resource_ref mr)
   {
+    if (column_v.is_empty()) {  // empty begets empty
+      return make_empty_column(type_id::STRING);
+    }
     auto [offsets_column, chars] =
       cudf::strings::detail::make_strings_children(*this, column_v.size(), stream, mr);
 
diff --git a/cpp/tests/io/json/json_writer.cpp b/cpp/tests/io/json/json_writer.cpp
index 2c4e29a01b9..39d31c406a5 100644
--- a/cpp/tests/io/json/json_writer.cpp
+++ b/cpp/tests/io/json/json_writer.cpp
@@ -70,6 +70,43 @@ TEST_F(JsonWriterTest, EmptyInput)
   EXPECT_EQ(expected_lines, std::string(out_buffer.data(), out_buffer.size()));
 }
 
+TEST_F(JsonWriterTest, EmptyLeaf)
+{
+  cudf::test::strings_column_wrapper col1{""};
+  cudf::test::fixed_width_column_wrapper<cudf::size_type> offsets{0, 0};
+  auto col2 = make_lists_column(1,
+                                offsets.release(),
+                                cudf::test::strings_column_wrapper{}.release(),
+                                0,
+                                rmm::device_buffer{},
+                                cudf::test::get_default_stream());
+  auto col3 = cudf::test::lists_column_wrapper<int>::make_one_empty_row_column();
+  cudf::table_view tbl_view{{col1, *col2, col3}};
+  cudf::io::table_metadata mt{{{"col1"}, {"col2"}, {"col3"}}};
+
+  std::vector<char> out_buffer;
+  auto destination = cudf::io::sink_info(&out_buffer);
+  auto out_options = cudf::io::json_writer_options_builder(destination, tbl_view)
+                       .include_nulls(true)
+                       .metadata(mt)
+                       .lines(false)
+                       .na_rep("null")
+                       .build();
+
+  // Empty columns in table
+  cudf::io::write_json(out_options, cudf::test::get_default_stream());
+  std::string const expected = R"([{"col1":"","col2":[],"col3":[]}])";
+  EXPECT_EQ(expected, std::string(out_buffer.data(), out_buffer.size()));
+
+  // Empty columns in table - JSON Lines
+  out_buffer.clear();
+  out_options.enable_lines(true);
+  cudf::io::write_json(out_options, cudf::test::get_default_stream());
+  std::string const expected_lines = R"({"col1":"","col2":[],"col3":[]})"
+                                     "\n";
+  EXPECT_EQ(expected_lines, std::string(out_buffer.data(), out_buffer.size()));
+}
+
 TEST_F(JsonWriterTest, ErrorCases)
 {
   cudf::test::strings_column_wrapper col1{"a", "b", "c"};