diff --git a/xarray/tests/test_dataarray.py b/xarray/tests/test_dataarray.py
index 9b4f8523178..76684a2f5c9 100644
--- a/xarray/tests/test_dataarray.py
+++ b/xarray/tests/test_dataarray.py
@@ -2825,6 +2825,15 @@ def test_to_and_from_series(self):
             expected_da,
             DataArray.from_series(actual).drop(['x', 'y']))
 
+    def test_to_and_from_empty_series(self):
+        # GH697
+        expected = pd.Series([])
+        da = DataArray.from_series(expected)
+        assert len(da) == 0
+        actual = da.to_series()
+        assert len(actual) == 0
+        assert expected.equals(actual)
+
     def test_series_categorical_index(self):
         # regression test for GH700
         if not hasattr(pd, 'CategoricalIndex'):
diff --git a/xarray/tests/test_dataset.py b/xarray/tests/test_dataset.py
index 6f6287efcac..5acf96a87e7 100644
--- a/xarray/tests/test_dataset.py
+++ b/xarray/tests/test_dataset.py
@@ -2984,6 +2984,15 @@ def test_to_and_from_dataframe(self):
         expected = pd.DataFrame([[]], index=idx)
         assert expected.equals(actual), (expected, actual)
 
+    def test_to_and_from_empty_dataframe(self):
+        # GH697
+        expected = pd.DataFrame({'foo': []})
+        ds = Dataset.from_dataframe(expected)
+        assert len(ds['foo']) == 0
+        actual = ds.to_dataframe()
+        assert len(actual) == 0
+        assert expected.equals(actual)
+
     def test_from_dataframe_non_unique_columns(self):
         # regression test for GH449
         df = pd.DataFrame(np.zeros((2, 2)))