diff --git a/api.go b/api.go
index 458164f6e..42d7e3b0d 100644
--- a/api.go
+++ b/api.go
@@ -1688,6 +1688,15 @@ func (api *API) ImportValueWithTx(ctx context.Context, qcx *Qcx, req *ImportValu
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "validating api method")
 	}
 
+	numCols := len(req.ColumnIDs) + len(req.ColumnKeys)
+	numVals := len(req.Values) + len(req.FloatValues) + len(req.TimestampValues) + len(req.StringValues)
+	if numCols != numVals {
+		return errors.New(fmt.Sprintf("number of columns (%v) and number of values (%v) do not match", numCols, numVals))
+	}
+	if numCols == 0 {
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	idx, field, err := api.indexField(req.Index, req.Field, req.Shard)
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.Wrap(err, fmt.Sprintf("getting index '%v' and field '%v'; shard=%v", req.Index, req.Field, req.Shard))
@@ -1798,7 +1807,6 @@ func (api *API) ImportValueWithTx(ctx context.Context, qcx *Qcx, req *ImportValu
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "importing value")
 
 	} // end if req.Shard != math.MaxUint64
-
 	options.IgnoreKeyCheck = true
 	start := 0
 	shard := req.ColumnIDs[0] / ShardWidth
diff --git a/api_test.go b/api_test.go
index 378aee9fd..08e1b49e5 100644
--- a/api_test.go
+++ b/api_test.go
@@ -251,6 +251,60 @@ func TestAPI_ImportValue(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	})
 
+	t.Run("ValIntEmpty", func(t *testing.T) {
+		ctx := context.Background()
+		index := "valintempty"
+		field := "fld"
+		createIndexForTest(index, coord, t)
+		createFieldForTest(index, field, coord, t)
+
+		// Column keys are sharded so their order is not guaranteed.
+		colKeys := []string{"col2", "col1", "col3"}
+		values := []int64{1, 2, 3, 4}
+
+		// Import without data, verify that it succeeds
+		req := &pilosa.ImportValueRequest{
+			Index: index,
+			Field: field,
+		}
+		qcx1 := coord.API.Txf().NewQcx()
+		defer qcx1.Abort()
+
+		// Import with empty request, should succeed
+		if err := coord.API.ImportValue(ctx, qcx1, req); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		PanicOn(qcx1.Finish())
+
+		// Import without data but with columnkeys, verify that it errors
+		req.ColumnKeys = colKeys
+		qcx2 := coord.API.Txf().NewQcx()
+		defer qcx2.Abort()
+		if err := coord.API.ImportValue(ctx, qcx2, req); err == nil {
+			t.Fatal("expected error but succeeded")
+		}
+		PanicOn(qcx2.Finish())
+
+		// Import with mismatch column and value lengths
+		req.Values = values
+		qcx3 := coord.API.Txf().NewQcx()
+		defer qcx3.Abort()
+		if err := coord.API.ImportValue(ctx, qcx3, req); err == nil {
+			t.Fatal("expected error but succeeded")
+		}
+		PanicOn(qcx3.Finish())
+
+		// Import with data but no columns
+		req.ColumnKeys = make([]string, 0)
+		qcx4 := coord.API.Txf().NewQcx()
+		defer qcx4.Abort()
+		if err := coord.API.ImportValue(ctx, qcx4, req); err == nil {
+			t.Fatal("expected error but succeeded")
+		}
+		PanicOn(qcx4.Finish())
+
+	})
+
 	t.Run("ValDecimalField", func(t *testing.T) {
 		ctx := context.Background()
 		index := "valdec"
@@ -1225,3 +1279,19 @@ func TestAPI_MutexCheck(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	}
 }
+
+func createIndexForTest(index string, coord *test.Command, t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	_, err := coord.API.CreateIndex(ctx, index, pilosa.IndexOptions{Keys: true})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("creating index: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func createFieldForTest(index string, field string, coord *test.Command, t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	_, err := coord.API.CreateField(ctx, index, field, pilosa.OptFieldTypeInt(math.MinInt64, math.MaxInt64))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("creating field: %v", err)
+	}
+}