diff --git a/packages/@jsii/python-runtime/src/jsii/_kernel/__init__.py b/packages/@jsii/python-runtime/src/jsii/_kernel/__init__.py
index 95959e7f62..0d41d13b28 100644
--- a/packages/@jsii/python-runtime/src/jsii/_kernel/__init__.py
+++ b/packages/@jsii/python-runtime/src/jsii/_kernel/__init__.py
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ def _make_reference_for_native(kernel, d):
         from .._runtime import python_jsii_mapping
 
         mapping = python_jsii_mapping(d)
-        if mapping:  # This means we are handling a data_type (aka Struct)
+        if mapping is not None:  # This means we are handling a data_type (aka Struct)
             return {
                 "$jsii.struct": {
                     "fqn": typeFqn,