diff --git a/cqlengine/statements.py b/cqlengine/statements.py
index 7737c3da..633472d0 100644
--- a/cqlengine/statements.py
+++ b/cqlengine/statements.py
@@ -248,11 +248,11 @@ class ListUpdateClause(ContainerUpdateClause):
             qs += ['"{}" = %({})s'.format(self.field, ctx_id)]
             ctx_id += 1
 
-        if self._prepend:
+        if self._prepend is not None:
             qs += ['"{0}" = %({1})s + "{0}"'.format(self.field, ctx_id)]
             ctx_id += 1
 
-        if self._append:
+        if self._append is not None:
             qs += ['"{0}" = "{0}" + %({1})s'.format(self.field, ctx_id)]
 
         return ', '.join(qs)
@@ -267,13 +267,13 @@ class ListUpdateClause(ContainerUpdateClause):
         if self._assignments is not None:
             ctx[str(ctx_id)] = self._to_database(self._assignments)
             ctx_id += 1
-        if self._prepend:
+        if self._prepend is not None:
             # CQL seems to prepend element at a time, starting
             # with the element at idx 0, we can either reverse
             # it here, or have it inserted in reverse
             ctx[str(ctx_id)] = self._to_database(list(reversed(self._prepend)))
             ctx_id += 1
-        if self._append:
+        if self._append is not None:
             ctx[str(ctx_id)] = self._to_database(self._append)
 
     def _analyze(self):
diff --git a/cqlengine/tests/statements/test_update_statement.py b/cqlengine/tests/statements/test_update_statement.py
index 04e40783..e7396114 100644
--- a/cqlengine/tests/statements/test_update_statement.py
+++ b/cqlengine/tests/statements/test_update_statement.py
@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
 from unittest import TestCase
-from cqlengine.columns import Set
+from cqlengine.columns import Set, List
 from cqlengine.operators import *
-from cqlengine.statements import UpdateStatement, WhereClause, AssignmentClause, SetUpdateClause
+from cqlengine.statements import (UpdateStatement, WhereClause,
+                                  AssignmentClause, SetUpdateClause,
+                                  ListUpdateClause)
 import six
 
+
 class UpdateStatementTests(TestCase):
 
     def test_table_rendering(self):
@@ -50,3 +53,13 @@ class UpdateStatementTests(TestCase):
         us = UpdateStatement('table')
         us.add_assignment_clause(SetUpdateClause('a', Set.Quoter(set()), operation='add'))
         self.assertEqual(six.text_type(us), 'UPDATE table SET "a" = "a" + %(0)s')
+
+    def test_update_list_prepend_with_empty_list(self):
+        us = UpdateStatement('table')
+        us.add_assignment_clause(ListUpdateClause('a', List.Quoter([]), operation='prepend'))
+        self.assertEqual(six.text_type(us), 'UPDATE table SET "a" = %(0)s + "a"')
+
+    def test_update_list_append_with_empty_list(self):
+        us = UpdateStatement('table')
+        us.add_assignment_clause(ListUpdateClause('a', List.Quoter([]), operation='append'))
+        self.assertEqual(six.text_type(us), 'UPDATE table SET "a" = "a" + %(0)s')