diff --git a/src/model/encoding/__tests__/__snapshots__/convertFromRawToDraftState-test.js.snap b/src/model/encoding/__tests__/__snapshots__/convertFromRawToDraftState-test.js.snap
index 46fc8c273f..afc25b8a64 100644
--- a/src/model/encoding/__tests__/__snapshots__/convertFromRawToDraftState-test.js.snap
+++ b/src/model/encoding/__tests__/__snapshots__/convertFromRawToDraftState-test.js.snap
@@ -278,6 +278,174 @@ Object {
 }
 `;
 
+exports[`ignore empty children array 1`] = `
+Object {
+  "A": Object {
+    "characterList": Array [
+      Object {
+        "entity": null,
+        "style": Array [],
+      },
+    ],
+    "children": Array [],
+    "data": Object {},
+    "depth": 0,
+    "key": "A",
+    "nextSibling": "B",
+    "parent": null,
+    "prevSibling": null,
+    "text": "A",
+    "type": "ordered-list-item",
+  },
+  "B": Object {
+    "characterList": Array [
+      Object {
+        "entity": null,
+        "style": Array [],
+      },
+    ],
+    "children": Array [],
+    "data": Object {},
+    "depth": 0,
+    "key": "B",
+    "nextSibling": "C",
+    "parent": null,
+    "prevSibling": "A",
+    "text": "B",
+    "type": "ordered-list-item",
+  },
+  "C": Object {
+    "characterList": Array [
+      Object {
+        "entity": null,
+        "style": Array [],
+      },
+    ],
+    "children": Array [],
+    "data": Object {},
+    "depth": 0,
+    "key": "C",
+    "nextSibling": null,
+    "parent": null,
+    "prevSibling": "B",
+    "text": "C",
+    "type": "ordered-list-item",
+  },
+}
+`;
+
+exports[`ignore empty children array for tree conversion 1 1`] = `
+Object {
+  "A": Object {
+    "characterList": Array [
+      Object {
+        "entity": null,
+        "style": Array [],
+      },
+    ],
+    "children": Array [],
+    "data": Object {},
+    "depth": 0,
+    "key": "A",
+    "nextSibling": "B",
+    "parent": null,
+    "prevSibling": null,
+    "text": "A",
+    "type": "ordered-list-item",
+  },
+  "B": Object {
+    "characterList": Array [
+      Object {
+        "entity": null,
+        "style": Array [],
+      },
+    ],
+    "children": Array [],
+    "data": Object {},
+    "depth": 0,
+    "key": "B",
+    "nextSibling": "C",
+    "parent": null,
+    "prevSibling": "A",
+    "text": "B",
+    "type": "ordered-list-item",
+  },
+  "C": Object {
+    "characterList": Array [
+      Object {
+        "entity": null,
+        "style": Array [],
+      },
+    ],
+    "children": Array [],
+    "data": Object {},
+    "depth": 0,
+    "key": "C",
+    "nextSibling": null,
+    "parent": null,
+    "prevSibling": "B",
+    "text": "C",
+    "type": "ordered-list-item",
+  },
+}
+`;
+
+exports[`ignore empty children array for tree conversion 2 1`] = `
+Object {
+  "A": Object {
+    "characterList": Array [
+      Object {
+        "entity": null,
+        "style": Array [],
+      },
+    ],
+    "children": Array [],
+    "data": Object {},
+    "depth": 0,
+    "key": "A",
+    "nextSibling": "B",
+    "parent": null,
+    "prevSibling": null,
+    "text": "A",
+    "type": "ordered-list-item",
+  },
+  "B": Object {
+    "characterList": Array [
+      Object {
+        "entity": null,
+        "style": Array [],
+      },
+    ],
+    "children": Array [],
+    "data": Object {},
+    "depth": 0,
+    "key": "B",
+    "nextSibling": "C",
+    "parent": null,
+    "prevSibling": "A",
+    "text": "B",
+    "type": "ordered-list-item",
+  },
+  "C": Object {
+    "characterList": Array [
+      Object {
+        "entity": null,
+        "style": Array [],
+      },
+    ],
+    "children": Array [],
+    "data": Object {},
+    "depth": 0,
+    "key": "C",
+    "nextSibling": null,
+    "parent": null,
+    "prevSibling": "B",
+    "text": "C",
+    "type": "ordered-list-item",
+  },
+}
+`;
+
 exports[`must be able to convert content blocks that have list with depth from raw state to tree state when experimentalTreeDataSupport is enabled 1`] = `
 Object {
   "A": Object {
diff --git a/src/model/encoding/__tests__/convertFromRawToDraftState-test.js b/src/model/encoding/__tests__/convertFromRawToDraftState-test.js
index d43bc698a8..231c1b7000 100644
--- a/src/model/encoding/__tests__/convertFromRawToDraftState-test.js
+++ b/src/model/encoding/__tests__/convertFromRawToDraftState-test.js
@@ -207,3 +207,59 @@ test('must be able to convert content blocks that have list with depth from raw
 
   assertDraftState(rawState);
 });
+
+test('ignore empty children array', () => {
+  const rawState = {
+    blocks: [
+      {key: 'A', type: 'ordered-list-item', depth: 0, text: 'A'},
+      {key: 'B', type: 'ordered-list-item', depth: 0, text: 'B'},
+      {
+        key: 'C',
+        type: 'ordered-list-item',
+        depth: 0,
+        text: 'C',
+        children: [],
+      },
+    ],
+    entityMap: {},
+  };
+
+  assertDraftState(rawState);
+});
+
+test('ignore empty children array for tree conversion 1', () => {
+  const rawState = {
+    blocks: [
+      {key: 'A', type: 'ordered-list-item', depth: 0, text: 'A'},
+      {key: 'B', type: 'ordered-list-item', depth: 0, text: 'B'},
+      {
+        key: 'C',
+        type: 'ordered-list-item',
+        depth: 0,
+        text: 'C',
+        children: [],
+      },
+    ],
+    entityMap: {},
+  };
+  assertDraftState(rawState);
+});
+
+test('ignore empty children array for tree conversion 2', () => {
+  toggleExperimentalTreeDataSupport(true);
+  const rawState = {
+    blocks: [
+      {key: 'A', type: 'ordered-list-item', depth: 0, text: 'A'},
+      {key: 'B', type: 'ordered-list-item', depth: 0, text: 'B'},
+      {
+        key: 'C',
+        type: 'ordered-list-item',
+        depth: 0,
+        text: 'C',
+        children: [],
+      },
+    ],
+    entityMap: {},
+  };
+  assertDraftState(rawState);
+});
diff --git a/src/model/encoding/convertFromRawToDraftState.js b/src/model/encoding/convertFromRawToDraftState.js
index 0bd9763fd4..b0ca0c1970 100644
--- a/src/model/encoding/convertFromRawToDraftState.js
+++ b/src/model/encoding/convertFromRawToDraftState.js
@@ -215,7 +215,9 @@ const decodeRawBlocks = (
   rawState: RawDraftContentState,
   entityMap: *,
 ): BlockMap => {
-  const isTreeRawBlock = Array.isArray(rawState.blocks[0].children);
+  const isTreeRawBlock = rawState.blocks.find(
+    block => Array.isArray(block.children) && block.children.length > 0,
+  );
   const rawBlocks =
     experimentalTreeDataSupport && !isTreeRawBlock
       ? DraftTreeAdapter.fromRawStateToRawTreeState(rawState).blocks