diff --git a/pyangbind/lib/serialise.py b/pyangbind/lib/serialise.py
index c771385..f1d4d78 100644
--- a/pyangbind/lib/serialise.py
+++ b/pyangbind/lib/serialise.py
@@ -429,7 +429,8 @@ def generate_ietf_tree(obj, parent_namespace=None, flt=False, with_defaults=None
                 d[yname] = generate_ietf_tree(
                     element, parent_namespace=element._namespace, flt=flt, with_defaults=with_defaults
                 )
-                if not len(d[yname]):
+                present = getattr(element, "_cpresent", False)
+                if not len(d[yname]) and not present:
                     del d[yname]
             elif generated_by == "YANGListType":
                 d[yname] = [
diff --git a/tests/presence/run.py b/tests/presence/run.py
index c2191a8..5aba6c6 100755
--- a/tests/presence/run.py
+++ b/tests/presence/run.py
@@ -97,28 +97,35 @@ def test_009_presence_get(self):
 
     def test_010_presence_serialise(self):
         self.instance.parent.child._set_present()
+        self.instance.p_container._set_present()
         expectedJ = """
                 {
                     "parent": {
                         "child": {}
-                    }
+                    },
+                    "p-container": {}
                 }"""
         self.assertEqual(json.loads(pbJ.dumps(self.instance)), json.loads(expectedJ))
         self.instance.parent.child._set_present(False)
-        expectedJ = "{}"
+        expectedJ = """
+        {
+            "p-container": {}
+        }"""
         self.assertEqual(json.loads(pbJ.dumps(self.instance)), json.loads(expectedJ))
 
     def test_011_presence_serialise_ietf(self):
         self.instance.parent.child._set_present()
+        self.instance.p_container._set_present()
         expectedJ = """
                 {
                     "presence:parent": {
                         "child": {}
-                    }
+                    },
+                    "presence:p-container": {}
                 }"""
         self.assertEqual(json.loads(pbJ.dumps(self.instance, mode="ietf")), json.loads(expectedJ))
         self.instance.parent.child._set_present(False)
-        expectedJ = "{}"
+        expectedJ = """{"presence:p-container": {}}"""
         self.assertEqual(json.loads(pbJ.dumps(self.instance, mode="ietf")), json.loads(expectedJ))
 
     def test_012_presence_deserialise(self):
@@ -126,20 +133,24 @@ def test_012_presence_deserialise(self):
               {
                 "parent": {
                   "child": {}
-                }
+                },
+                "p-container": {}
               }"""
         x = pbJ.loads(inputJ, self.bindings, "presence")
         self.assertIs(x.parent.child._present(), True)
+        self.assertIs(x.p_container._present(), True)
 
     def test_013_presence_deserialise(self):
         inputJ = """
               {
                 "presence:parent": {
                   "child": {}
-                }
+                },
+                "presence:p-container": {}
               }"""
         x = pbJ.loads_ietf(inputJ, self.bindings, "presence")
         self.assertIs(x.parent.child._present(), True)
+        self.assertIs(x.p_container._present(), True)
 
 
 class SplitClassesPresenceTests(PresenceTests):