diff --git a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/nodes/core/network/21-httprequest.js b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/nodes/core/network/21-httprequest.js
index 6912c99ea..bc2aecb7d 100644
--- a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/nodes/core/network/21-httprequest.js
+++ b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/nodes/core/network/21-httprequest.js
@@ -637,6 +637,7 @@ in your Node-RED user directory (${RED.settings.userDir}).
                     msg.payload = msg.payload.toString('utf8'); // txt
 
                     if (node.ret === "obj") {
+                        if (msg.statusCode == 204){msg.payload= "{}"}; 
                         try { msg.payload = JSON.parse(msg.payload); } // obj
                         catch(e) { node.warn(RED._("httpin.errors.json-error")); }
                     }
diff --git a/test/nodes/core/network/21-httprequest_spec.js b/test/nodes/core/network/21-httprequest_spec.js
index f02ba8153..bace012b5 100644
--- a/test/nodes/core/network/21-httprequest_spec.js
+++ b/test/nodes/core/network/21-httprequest_spec.js
@@ -667,7 +667,7 @@ describe('HTTP Request Node', function() {
                 var n2 = helper.getNode("n2");
                 n2.on("input", function(msg) {
                     try {
-                        msg.should.have.property('payload','');
+                        msg.should.have.property('payload',{});
                         msg.should.have.property('statusCode',204);
                         done();
                     } catch(err) {