diff --git a/lib/helpers/model/castBulkWrite.js b/lib/helpers/model/castBulkWrite.js
index 8e47afce706..619281285e9 100644
--- a/lib/helpers/model/castBulkWrite.js
+++ b/lib/helpers/model/castBulkWrite.js
@@ -37,8 +37,12 @@ module.exports = function castBulkWrite(originalModel, op, options) {
   } else if (op['updateOne']) {
     return (callback) => {
       try {
-        if (!op['updateOne']['filter']) throw new Error('Must provide a filter object.');
-        if (!op['updateOne']['update']) throw new Error('Must provide an update object.');
+        if (!op['updateOne']['filter']) {
+          throw new Error('Must provide a filter object.');
+        }
+        if (!op['updateOne']['update']) {
+          throw new Error('Must provide an update object.');
+        }
 
         const model = decideModelByObject(originalModel, op['updateOne']['filter']);
         const schema = model.schema;
@@ -80,8 +84,12 @@ module.exports = function castBulkWrite(originalModel, op, options) {
   } else if (op['updateMany']) {
     return (callback) => {
       try {
-        if (!op['updateMany']['filter']) throw new Error('Must provide a filter object.');
-        if (!op['updateMany']['update']) throw new Error('Must provide an update object.');
+        if (!op['updateMany']['filter']) {
+          throw new Error('Must provide a filter object.');
+        }
+        if (!op['updateMany']['update']) {
+          throw new Error('Must provide an update object.');
+        }
 
         const model = decideModelByObject(originalModel, op['updateMany']['filter']);
         const schema = model.schema;
diff --git a/lib/helpers/query/castUpdate.js b/lib/helpers/query/castUpdate.js
index 327d9d2f862..6009852fdd8 100644
--- a/lib/helpers/query/castUpdate.js
+++ b/lib/helpers/query/castUpdate.js
@@ -105,6 +105,12 @@ module.exports = function castUpdate(schema, obj, options, context, filter) {
     }
   }
 
+  if (Object.keys(ret).length === 0 && options.upsert) {
+    // Trick the driver into allowing empty upserts to work around
+    // https://github.com/mongodb/node-mongodb-native/pull/2490
+    return { $fake: true, toBSON: () => ({}) };
+  }
+
   return ret;
 };