diff --git a/src/message.js b/src/message.js
index 2580f1b8a..ccae7f0cf 100644
--- a/src/message.js
+++ b/src/message.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ module.exports = Message;
 
 /**
  * Constructs a new message instance.
- * 
+ *
  * This method should be called from your custom constructors, i.e. `Message.call(this, properties)`.
  * @classdesc Abstract runtime message.
  * @extends {Object}
@@ -46,9 +46,7 @@ MessagePrototype.asJSON = function asJSON(options) {
         json   = {};
     var keys;
     if (options.defaults) {
-        keys = [];
-        for (var k in this) // eslint-disable-line guard-for-in
-            keys.push(k);
+        keys = Object.keys(fields);
     } else
         keys = Object.keys(this);
     for (var i = 0, key; i < keys.length; ++i) {
@@ -56,7 +54,7 @@ MessagePrototype.asJSON = function asJSON(options) {
             value = this[key];
         if (field) {
             if (field.repeated) {
-                if (value && value.length) {
+                if (value && (value.length || options.defaults)) {
                     var array = new Array(value.length);
                     for (var j = 0, l = value.length; j < l; ++j)
                         array[j] = field.jsonConvert(value[j], options);
diff --git a/tests/data/message.proto b/tests/data/message.proto
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c9f7d97b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/data/message.proto
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+syntax = "proto3";
+
+package test;
+
+message TestRepeatedDefaults {
+  required string aString = 1;
+  repeated string repeatString = 2;
+}
diff --git a/tests/message.js b/tests/message.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c6936a738
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/message.js
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+var tape = require("tape");
+var protobuf  = require("..");
+
+tape.test("test asJSON repeated defaults", function(test) {
+
+    protobuf.load("tests/data/message.proto", function(err, root) {
+        if (err)
+            return test.fail(err.message);
+        test.ok(true, "should parse without errors");
+
+        var TestMessage = root.lookup("test.TestRepeatedDefaults");
+        var msg1 = TestMessage.create({ aString: 'foo' });
+
+        var defaultsOn = msg1.asJSON({ defaults: true });
+        test.equal(defaultsOn.aString, 'foo', "should set aString value");
+        test.same(defaultsOn.repeatString, [], "should set repeated default");
+
+        var defaultsOff = msg1.asJSON({ defaults: false });
+        test.equal(defaultsOff.aString, 'foo', "should set aString value");
+        test.same(defaultsOff.repeatString, undefined, "should not set repeated default");
+
+        test.end();
+    });
+
+});