diff --git a/gen/encoder.go b/gen/encoder.go
index a54f6e2..1bdb7d4 100644
--- a/gen/encoder.go
+++ b/gen/encoder.go
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ func parseFieldTags(f reflect.StructField) fieldTags {
 }
 
 // genTypeEncoder generates code that encodes in of type t into the writer, but uses marshaler interface if implemented by t.
-func (g *Generator) genTypeEncoder(t reflect.Type, in string, tags fieldTags, indent int) error {
+func (g *Generator) genTypeEncoder(t reflect.Type, in string, tags fieldTags, indent int, assumeNonEmpty bool) error {
 	ws := strings.Repeat("  ", indent)
 
 	marshalerIface := reflect.TypeOf((*easyjson.Marshaler)(nil)).Elem()
@@ -102,12 +102,12 @@ func (g *Generator) genTypeEncoder(t reflect.Type, in string, tags fieldTags, in
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	err := g.genTypeEncoderNoCheck(t, in, tags, indent)
+	err := g.genTypeEncoderNoCheck(t, in, tags, indent, assumeNonEmpty)
 	return err
 }
 
 // genTypeEncoderNoCheck generates code that encodes in of type t into the writer.
-func (g *Generator) genTypeEncoderNoCheck(t reflect.Type, in string, tags fieldTags, indent int) error {
+func (g *Generator) genTypeEncoderNoCheck(t reflect.Type, in string, tags fieldTags, indent int, assumeNonEmpty bool) error {
 	ws := strings.Repeat("  ", indent)
 
 	// Check whether type is primitive, needs to be done after interface check.
@@ -128,16 +128,20 @@ func (g *Generator) genTypeEncoderNoCheck(t reflect.Type, in string, tags fieldT
 		if t.Elem().Kind() == reflect.Uint8 {
 			fmt.Fprintln(g.out, ws+"out.Base64Bytes("+in+")")
 		} else {
-			fmt.Fprintln(g.out, ws+"if "+in+" == nil && (out.Flags & jwriter.NilSliceAsEmpty) == 0 {")
-			fmt.Fprintln(g.out, ws+`  out.RawString("null")`)
-			fmt.Fprintln(g.out, ws+"} else {")
+			if !assumeNonEmpty {
+				fmt.Fprintln(g.out, ws+"if "+in+" == nil && (out.Flags & jwriter.NilSliceAsEmpty) == 0 {")
+				fmt.Fprintln(g.out, ws+`  out.RawString("null")`)
+				fmt.Fprintln(g.out, ws+"} else {")
+			} else {
+				fmt.Fprintln(g.out, ws+"{")
+			}
 			fmt.Fprintln(g.out, ws+"  out.RawByte('[')")
 			fmt.Fprintln(g.out, ws+"  for "+iVar+", "+vVar+" := range "+in+" {")
 			fmt.Fprintln(g.out, ws+"    if "+iVar+" > 0 {")
 			fmt.Fprintln(g.out, ws+"      out.RawByte(',')")
 			fmt.Fprintln(g.out, ws+"    }")
 
-			g.genTypeEncoder(elem, vVar, tags, indent+2)
+			g.genTypeEncoder(elem, vVar, tags, indent+2, false)
 
 			fmt.Fprintln(g.out, ws+"  }")
 			fmt.Fprintln(g.out, ws+"  out.RawByte(']')")
@@ -157,7 +161,7 @@ func (g *Generator) genTypeEncoderNoCheck(t reflect.Type, in string, tags fieldT
 			fmt.Fprintln(g.out, ws+"    out.RawByte(',')")
 			fmt.Fprintln(g.out, ws+"  }")
 
-			g.genTypeEncoder(elem, in+"["+iVar+"]", tags, indent+1)
+			g.genTypeEncoder(elem, in+"["+iVar+"]", tags, indent+1, false)
 
 			fmt.Fprintln(g.out, ws+"}")
 			fmt.Fprintln(g.out, ws+"out.RawByte(']')")
@@ -170,13 +174,17 @@ func (g *Generator) genTypeEncoderNoCheck(t reflect.Type, in string, tags fieldT
 		fmt.Fprintln(g.out, ws+enc+"(out, "+in+")")
 
 	case reflect.Ptr:
-		fmt.Fprintln(g.out, ws+"if "+in+" == nil {")
-		fmt.Fprintln(g.out, ws+`  out.RawString("null")`)
-		fmt.Fprintln(g.out, ws+"} else {")
+		if !assumeNonEmpty {
+			fmt.Fprintln(g.out, ws+"if "+in+" == nil {")
+			fmt.Fprintln(g.out, ws+`  out.RawString("null")`)
+			fmt.Fprintln(g.out, ws+"} else {")
+		}
 
-		g.genTypeEncoder(t.Elem(), "*"+in, tags, indent+1)
+		g.genTypeEncoder(t.Elem(), "*"+in, tags, indent+1, false)
 
-		fmt.Fprintln(g.out, ws+"}")
+		if !assumeNonEmpty {
+			fmt.Fprintln(g.out, ws+"}")
+		}
 
 	case reflect.Map:
 		key := t.Key()
@@ -185,18 +193,21 @@ func (g *Generator) genTypeEncoderNoCheck(t reflect.Type, in string, tags fieldT
 		}
 		tmpVar := g.uniqueVarName()
 
-		fmt.Fprintln(g.out, ws+"if "+in+" == nil && (out.Flags & jwriter.NilMapAsEmpty) == 0 {")
-		fmt.Fprintln(g.out, ws+"  out.RawString(`null`)")
-		fmt.Fprintln(g.out, ws+"} else {")
+		if !assumeNonEmpty {
+			fmt.Fprintln(g.out, ws+"if "+in+" == nil && (out.Flags & jwriter.NilMapAsEmpty) == 0 {")
+			fmt.Fprintln(g.out, ws+"  out.RawString(`null`)")
+			fmt.Fprintln(g.out, ws+"} else {")
+		} else {
+			fmt.Fprintln(g.out, ws+"{")
+		}
 		fmt.Fprintln(g.out, ws+"  out.RawByte('{')")
 		fmt.Fprintln(g.out, ws+"  "+tmpVar+"First := true")
 		fmt.Fprintln(g.out, ws+"  for "+tmpVar+"Name, "+tmpVar+"Value := range "+in+" {")
-		fmt.Fprintln(g.out, ws+"    if !"+tmpVar+"First { out.RawByte(',') }")
-		fmt.Fprintln(g.out, ws+"    "+tmpVar+"First = false")
+		fmt.Fprintln(g.out, ws+"    if "+tmpVar+"First { "+tmpVar+"First = false } else { out.RawByte(',') }")
 		fmt.Fprintln(g.out, ws+"    out.String(string("+tmpVar+"Name))")
 		fmt.Fprintln(g.out, ws+"    out.RawByte(':')")
 
-		g.genTypeEncoder(t.Elem(), tmpVar+"Value", tags, indent+2)
+		g.genTypeEncoder(t.Elem(), tmpVar+"Value", tags, indent+2, false)
 
 		fmt.Fprintln(g.out, ws+"  }")
 		fmt.Fprintln(g.out, ws+"  out.RawByte('}')")
@@ -255,18 +266,23 @@ func (g *Generator) genStructFieldEncoder(t reflect.Type, f reflect.StructField)
 		return nil
 	}
 	if !tags.omitEmpty && !g.omitEmpty || tags.noOmitEmpty {
-		fmt.Fprintln(g.out, "  if !first { out.RawByte(',') }")
-		fmt.Fprintln(g.out, "  first = false")
-		fmt.Fprintf(g.out, "  out.RawString(%q)\n", strconv.Quote(jsonName)+":")
-		return g.genTypeEncoder(f.Type, "in."+f.Name, tags, 1)
+		fmt.Fprintln(g.out, "  if first {")
+		fmt.Fprintln(g.out, "    first = false")
+		fmt.Fprintf(g.out, "    out.RawString(%q)\n", strconv.Quote(jsonName)+":")
+		fmt.Fprintln(g.out, "  } else {")
+		fmt.Fprintf(g.out, "    out.RawString(%q)\n", ","+strconv.Quote(jsonName)+":")
+		fmt.Fprintln(g.out, "  }")
+		return g.genTypeEncoder(f.Type, "in."+f.Name, tags, 1, false)
 	}
 
 	fmt.Fprintln(g.out, "  if", g.notEmptyCheck(f.Type, "in."+f.Name), "{")
-	fmt.Fprintln(g.out, "    if !first { out.RawByte(',') }")
-	fmt.Fprintln(g.out, "    first = false")
-
-	fmt.Fprintf(g.out, "    out.RawString(%q)\n", strconv.Quote(jsonName)+":")
-	if err := g.genTypeEncoder(f.Type, "in."+f.Name, tags, 2); err != nil {
+	fmt.Fprintln(g.out, "    if first {")
+	fmt.Fprintln(g.out, "      first = false")
+	fmt.Fprintf(g.out, "      out.RawString(%q)\n", strconv.Quote(jsonName)+":")
+	fmt.Fprintln(g.out, "    } else {")
+	fmt.Fprintf(g.out, "      out.RawString(%q)\n", ","+strconv.Quote(jsonName)+":")
+	fmt.Fprintln(g.out, "    }")
+	if err := g.genTypeEncoder(f.Type, "in."+f.Name, tags, 2, true); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 	fmt.Fprintln(g.out, "  }")
@@ -293,7 +309,7 @@ func (g *Generator) genSliceArrayMapEncoder(t reflect.Type) error {
 	typ := g.getType(t)
 
 	fmt.Fprintln(g.out, "func "+fname+"(out *jwriter.Writer, in "+typ+") {")
-	err := g.genTypeEncoderNoCheck(t, "in", fieldTags{}, 1)
+	err := g.genTypeEncoderNoCheck(t, "in", fieldTags{}, 1, false)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}