diff --git a/ebean-api/src/main/java/io/ebean/Lists.java b/ebean-api/src/main/java/io/ebean/Lists.java
index e80aa91fd..1d54115cb 100644
--- a/ebean-api/src/main/java/io/ebean/Lists.java
+++ b/ebean-api/src/main/java/io/ebean/Lists.java
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package io.ebean;
 
 import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.List;
 
 /**
@@ -24,7 +25,9 @@ public final class Lists {
    */
   public static <T> List<List<T>> partition(List<T> source, int max) {
     final int totalCount = source.size();
-    if (totalCount <= max) {
+    if (totalCount == 0) {
+      return Collections.emptyList();
+    } else if (totalCount <= max) {
       return List.of(source);
     }
     final int numOfPartitions = (totalCount + max - 1) / max;  // round up
diff --git a/ebean-api/src/test/java/io/ebean/ListsTest.java b/ebean-api/src/test/java/io/ebean/ListsTest.java
index 42dc2b63a..64e25e5d1 100644
--- a/ebean-api/src/test/java/io/ebean/ListsTest.java
+++ b/ebean-api/src/test/java/io/ebean/ListsTest.java
@@ -11,8 +11,7 @@ class ListsTest {
   @Test
   void partition_empty() {
     List<List<Integer>> partitions = Lists.partition(List.of(), 5);
-    assertThat(partitions).hasSize(1);
-    assertThat(partitions.get(0)).hasSize(0);
+    assertThat(partitions).isEmpty();
   }
 
   @Test