diff --git a/addon/-private/system/relationships/relationship-payloads.js b/addon/-private/system/relationships/relationship-payloads.js
index ee9626c8683..d0815007048 100644
--- a/addon/-private/system/relationships/relationship-payloads.js
+++ b/addon/-private/system/relationships/relationship-payloads.js
@@ -220,7 +220,13 @@ export default class RelationshipPayloads {
       // Then we will initially have set user:2 as having helicopter:1, which we
       // need to remove before adding helicopter:1 to user:4
       //
-      this._removeInverse(id, previousPayload, inverseIdToPayloads);
+      // only remove relationship information before adding if there is relationshipData.data
+      // * null is considered new information "empty", and it should win
+      // * undefined is NOT considered new information, we should keep original state
+      // * anything else is considered new information, and it should win
+      if (relationshipData.data !== undefined) {
+        this._removeInverse(id, previousPayload, inverseIdToPayloads);
+      }
       idToPayloads[id] = relationshipData;
       this._populateInverse(relationshipData, inverseRelationshipData, inverseIdToPayloads, inverseIsMany);
     }
diff --git a/tests/integration/relationships/nested-relationship-test.js b/tests/integration/relationships/nested-relationship-test.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..425a48701ec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/integration/relationships/nested-relationship-test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,148 @@
+import setupStore from 'dummy/tests/helpers/store';
+import Ember from 'ember';
+
+import {module, test} from 'qunit';
+
+import DS from 'ember-data';
+
+const { get, run } = Ember;
+const { attr, hasMany, belongsTo } = DS;
+
+let env, store, serializer, Elder, MiddleAger, Kid;
+
+module('integration/relationships/nested_relationships_test - Nested relationships', {
+  beforeEach() {
+    Elder = DS.Model.extend({
+      name: attr('string'),
+      middleAgers: hasMany('middle-ager')
+    });
+
+    MiddleAger = DS.Model.extend({
+      name: attr('string'),
+      elder: belongsTo('elder'),
+      kids: hasMany('kid')
+    });
+
+    Kid = DS.Model.extend({
+      name: attr('string'),
+      middleAger: belongsTo('middle-ager')
+    });
+
+    env = setupStore({
+      elder: Elder,
+      'middle-ager': MiddleAger,
+      kid: Kid,
+      adapter: DS.JSONAPIAdapter
+    });
+
+    store = env.store;
+    serializer = env.serializer;
+  },
+
+  afterEach() {
+    run(env.container, 'destroy');
+  }
+});
+
+/*
+  Server loading tests
+*/
+
+test('Sideloaded nested relationships load correctly', function(assert) {
+  run(() => {
+    serializer.pushPayload(store, {
+      data: [
+        {
+          id: '1',
+          type: 'kids',
+          links: {
+            self: '/kids/1'
+          },
+          attributes: {
+            name: 'Kid 1'
+          },
+          relationships: {
+            'middle-ager': {
+              links: {
+                self: '/kids/1/relationships/middle-ager',
+                related: '/kids/1/middle-ager'
+              },
+              data:{
+                type: 'middle-agers',
+                id: '1'
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      ],
+      included: [
+        {
+          id: '1',
+          type: 'middle-agers',
+          links: {
+            self: '/middle-ager/1'
+          },
+          attributes: {
+            name: 'Middle Ager 1'
+          },
+          relationships: {
+            elder: {
+              links: {
+                self: '/middle-agers/1/relationships/elder',
+                related: '/middle-agers/1/elder'
+              },
+              data: {
+                type: 'elders',
+                id: '1'
+              }
+            },
+            kids: {
+              links: {
+                self: '/middle-agers/1/relationships/kids',
+                related: '/middle-agers/1/kids'
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        },
+
+        {
+          id: '1',
+          type: 'elders',
+          links: {
+            self: '/elders/1'
+          },
+          attributes: {
+            name: 'Elder 1'
+          },
+          relationships: {
+            'middle-agers': {
+              links: {
+                self: '/elders/1/relationships/middle-agers',
+                related: '/elders/1/middle-agers'
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      ]
+    });
+  });
+
+  return run(() => {
+    let kid = store.peekRecord('kid', 1);
+
+    return kid.get('middleAger').then(middleAger => {
+      assert.ok(middleAger, 'MiddleAger relationship was set up correctly');
+
+      let middleAgerName = get(middleAger, 'name');
+      assert.equal(middleAgerName, 'Middle Ager 1', 'MiddleAger name is there');
+      assert.ok(middleAger.get('kids').includes(kid));
+
+      return middleAger.get('elder').then(elder => {
+        assert.notEqual(elder, null, 'Elder relationship was set up correctly');
+        let elderName = get(elder, 'name');
+        assert.equal(elderName, 'Elder 1', 'Elder name is there');
+      });
+    });
+  });
+});
+