diff --git a/lib/model/parse.js b/lib/model/parse.js
index edd1c8e..5a17149 100644
--- a/lib/model/parse.js
+++ b/lib/model/parse.js
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@ const debug = require('debug')('requelize:model:parse')
  */
 module.exports = (obj, opts, Model, requelize) => {
   if (!obj) {
-    return
+    // return null if null, undefined if undefined
+    return obj
   }
 
   if (Array.isArray(obj)) {
diff --git a/lib/model/query/belongsTo.js b/lib/model/query/belongsTo.js
index 7682e5c..306b124 100644
--- a/lib/model/query/belongsTo.js
+++ b/lib/model/query/belongsTo.js
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ module.exports = function (Query, requelize, Model, join, tree, key) {
   )
 
   return function (doc) {
-    const q = relTable.get(doc(join.localKey))
+    const q = relTable.get(doc(join.localKey)).default(null)
 
     let embedQuery = new Query(q, RelModel, requelize)
 
diff --git a/lib/model/query/belongsToMany.js b/lib/model/query/belongsToMany.js
index c6ea9bd..61f3880 100644
--- a/lib/model/query/belongsToMany.js
+++ b/lib/model/query/belongsToMany.js
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ module.exports = function (Query, requelize, Model, join, tree, key) {
       })
       ._query
       .coerceTo('array')
+      .default([])
 
     let embedQuery = new Query(q, RelModel, requelize)
 
diff --git a/lib/model/query/hasMany.js b/lib/model/query/hasMany.js
index 8092e17..33c1c7c 100644
--- a/lib/model/query/hasMany.js
+++ b/lib/model/query/hasMany.js
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ module.exports = function (Query, requelize, Model, join, tree, key) {
     const q = relTable
       .getAll(doc(selfPk), { index: join.foreignKey })
       .coerceTo('array')
+      .default([])
 
     let embedQuery = new Query(q, RelModel, requelize)
 
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index f5fbe8b..4f872e0 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "requelize",
-  "version": "0.7.1",
+  "version": "0.7.2",
   "description": "RethinkDB ORM",
   "main": "index.js",
   "repository": "https://github.com/buckless/requelize.git",
diff --git a/test/test.unknownRelation.js b/test/test.unknownRelation.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4670236
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test.unknownRelation.js
@@ -0,0 +1,158 @@
+const Joi = require('joi')
+const { test, requelize, dropDb } = require('./utils')
+
+test('unknown relation - hasOne', (t) => {
+  t.plan(1)
+
+  let Foo
+  let Bar
+  let foo
+
+  dropDb()
+    .then(() => {
+      Foo = requelize.model('foo', {
+        name: Joi.string()
+      })
+
+      Bar = requelize.model('bar')
+
+      Foo.hasOne('bar', 'bar')
+      Bar.belongsTo('foo', 'foo')
+
+      return requelize.sync()
+    })
+    .then(() => {
+      foo = new Foo({ name: 'foo' })
+
+      return foo.save()
+    })
+    .then((res) => {
+      return Foo.embed({ bar: true })
+    })
+    .then((res) => {
+      t.equal(null, res[0].bar, 'hasOne relation is null when not found')
+    })
+    .catch((err) => {
+      t.fail(err)
+    })
+    .then(() => {
+      t.end()
+    })
+})
+
+test('unknown relation - belongsTo', (t) => {
+  t.plan(1)
+
+  let Foo
+  let Bar
+  let bar
+
+  dropDb()
+    .then(() => {
+      Foo = requelize.model('foo', {
+        name: Joi.string()
+      })
+
+      Bar = requelize.model('bar')
+
+      Foo.hasOne('bar', 'bar')
+      Bar.belongsTo('foo', 'foo')
+
+      return requelize.sync()
+    })
+    .then(() => {
+      bar = new Bar({ name: 'bar' })
+
+      return bar.save()
+    })
+    .then((res) => {
+      return Bar.embed({ foo: true })
+    })
+    .then((res) => {
+      t.equal(null, res[0].foo, 'belongsTo relation is null when not found')
+    })
+    .catch((err) => {
+      t.fail(err)
+    })
+    .then(() => {
+      t.end()
+    })
+})
+
+test('unknown relation - hasMany', (t) => {
+  t.plan(1)
+
+  let Foo
+  let Bar
+  let foo
+
+  dropDb()
+    .then(() => {
+      Foo = requelize.model('foo', {
+        name: Joi.string()
+      })
+
+      Bar = requelize.model('bar')
+
+      Foo.hasMany('bar', 'bars')
+      Bar.belongsTo('foo', 'foo')
+
+      return requelize.sync()
+    })
+    .then(() => {
+      foo = new Foo({ name: 'foo' })
+
+      return foo.save()
+    })
+    .then((res) => {
+      return Foo.embed({ bars: true })
+    })
+    .then((res) => {
+      t.equal(0, res[0].bars.length, 'hasMany relation is empty array when not found')
+    })
+    .catch((err) => {
+      t.fail(err)
+    })
+    .then(() => {
+      t.end()
+    })
+})
+
+test('unknown relation - belongsToMany', (t) => {
+  t.plan(1)
+
+  let Foo
+  let Bar
+  let foo
+
+  dropDb()
+    .then(() => {
+      Foo = requelize.model('foo', {
+        name: Joi.string()
+      })
+
+      Bar = requelize.model('bar')
+
+      Foo.belongsToMany('bar', 'bars')
+      Bar.belongsToMany('foo', 'foo')
+
+      return requelize.sync()
+    })
+    .then(() => {
+      foo = new Foo({ name: 'foo' })
+
+      return foo.save()
+    })
+    .then((res) => {
+      return Foo.embed({ bars: true })
+    })
+    .then((res) => {
+      t.equal(0, res[0].bars.length, 'hasMany relation is empty array when not found')
+    })
+    .catch((err) => {
+      t.fail(err)
+    })
+    .then(() => {
+      t.end()
+    })
+})