diff --git a/nova/objects/base.py b/nova/objects/base.py
index 2f6c649046cc..e5b6349f03eb 100644
--- a/nova/objects/base.py
+++ b/nova/objects/base.py
@@ -505,6 +505,12 @@ class ObjectListBase(object):
     # requested of the list object.
     child_versions = {}
 
+    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        super(ObjectListBase, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
+        if 'objects' not in kwargs:
+            self.objects = []
+            self._changed_fields.discard('objects')
+
     def __iter__(self):
         """List iterator interface."""
         return iter(self.objects)
diff --git a/nova/tests/objects/test_objects.py b/nova/tests/objects/test_objects.py
index 48ccadc55224..7ac81219d5ee 100644
--- a/nova/tests/objects/test_objects.py
+++ b/nova/tests/objects/test_objects.py
@@ -812,6 +812,17 @@ class TestObjectListBase(test.TestCase):
         # This should now look clean because the child is clean
         self.assertEqual(set(), obj.obj_what_changed())
 
+    def test_initialize_objects(self):
+        class Foo(base.ObjectListBase, base.NovaObject):
+            fields = {'objects': fields.ListOfObjectsField('Bar')}
+
+        class Bar(base.NovaObject):
+            fields = {'foo': fields.StringField()}
+
+        obj = Foo()
+        self.assertEqual([], obj.objects)
+        self.assertEqual(set(), obj.obj_what_changed())
+
 
 class TestObjectSerializer(_BaseTestCase):
     def test_serialize_entity_primitive(self):