diff --git a/src/services/populate.js b/src/services/populate.js
index bce070b6..af672696 100755
--- a/src/services/populate.js
+++ b/src/services/populate.js
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ function populateAddChild (options, hook, parentItem, childSchema, depth) {
         result = result[0];
       }
 
-      return childSchema.include
+      return (childSchema.include && result)
         ? populateItemArray(options, hook, result, childSchema.include, depth) : result;
     })
     .then(items => ({ nameAs, items }));
diff --git a/test/helpers/get-init-db.js b/test/helpers/get-init-db.js
index 64bd69d9..5f1e09ee 100755
--- a/test/helpers/get-init-db.js
+++ b/test/helpers/get-init-db.js
@@ -56,7 +56,15 @@ module.exports = function (name) {
       author: '167asdf3689348sdad7312131s',
       readers: ['as61389dadhga62343hads6712', '167asdf3689348sdad7312131s'],
       createdAt: 1480793101559
-    }
+    },
+    '4': {
+      id: 4,
+      title: 'Post 4',
+      content: 'Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet 5',
+      author: '167asdf3689348sdad7312131s',
+      readers: [],
+      createdAt: 1480793101559
+  }
   };
 
   const recommendation = {