diff --git a/src/array/binary/mod.rs b/src/array/binary/mod.rs
index 5a84241359b..8aae45b2a45 100644
--- a/src/array/binary/mod.rs
+++ b/src/array/binary/mod.rs
@@ -117,12 +117,7 @@ impl<O: Offset> BinaryArray<O> {
 
     /// Returns an iterator of `Option<&[u8]>` over every element of this array.
     pub fn iter(&self) -> ZipValidity<&[u8], BinaryValueIter<O>, BitmapIter> {
-        let null_count = self.validity.as_ref().map(|validity| validity.unset_bits());
-        ZipValidity::new(
-            self.values_iter(),
-            self.validity.as_ref().map(|x| x.iter()),
-            null_count,
-        )
+        ZipValidity::new_with_validity(self.values_iter(), self.validity.as_ref())
     }
 
     /// Returns an iterator of `&[u8]` over every element of this array, ignoring the validity
diff --git a/src/array/boolean/iterator.rs b/src/array/boolean/iterator.rs
index 9beb53b1dbb..8243a8d985f 100644
--- a/src/array/boolean/iterator.rs
+++ b/src/array/boolean/iterator.rs
@@ -22,9 +22,9 @@ impl IntoIterator for BooleanArray {
     fn into_iter(self) -> Self::IntoIter {
         let (_, values, validity) = self.into_inner();
         let values = values.into_iter();
-        let null_count = validity.as_ref().map(|validity| validity.unset_bits());
-        let validity = validity.map(|x| x.into_iter());
-        ZipValidity::new(values, validity, null_count)
+        let validity =
+            validity.and_then(|validity| (validity.unset_bits() > 0).then(|| validity.into_iter()));
+        ZipValidity::new(values, validity)
     }
 }
 
@@ -42,14 +42,9 @@ impl<'a> MutableBooleanArray {
     /// Returns an iterator over the optional values of this [`MutableBooleanArray`].
     #[inline]
     pub fn iter(&'a self) -> ZipValidity<bool, BitmapIter<'a>, BitmapIter<'a>> {
-        let null_count = self
-            .validity()
-            .as_ref()
-            .map(|validity| validity.unset_bits());
         ZipValidity::new(
             self.values().iter(),
             self.validity().as_ref().map(|x| x.iter()),
-            null_count,
         )
     }
 
diff --git a/src/array/boolean/mod.rs b/src/array/boolean/mod.rs
index 816e901144e..a3788b9b856 100644
--- a/src/array/boolean/mod.rs
+++ b/src/array/boolean/mod.rs
@@ -88,13 +88,7 @@ impl BooleanArray {
     /// Returns an iterator over the optional values of this [`BooleanArray`].
     #[inline]
     pub fn iter(&self) -> ZipValidity<bool, BitmapIter, BitmapIter> {
-        ZipValidity::new(
-            self.values().iter(),
-            self.validity.as_ref().map(|x| x.iter()),
-            self.validity()
-                .as_ref()
-                .map(|validity| validity.unset_bits()),
-        )
+        ZipValidity::new_with_validity(self.values().iter(), self.validity())
     }
 
     /// Returns an iterator over the values of this [`BooleanArray`].
diff --git a/src/array/dictionary/mod.rs b/src/array/dictionary/mod.rs
index 81d2eec354d..8b62c91dce9 100644
--- a/src/array/dictionary/mod.rs
+++ b/src/array/dictionary/mod.rs
@@ -191,14 +191,7 @@ impl<K: DictionaryKey> DictionaryArray<K> {
     /// This function will allocate a new [`Scalar`] per item and is usually not performant.
     /// Consider calling `keys_iter` and `values`, downcasting `values`, and iterating over that.
     pub fn iter(&self) -> ZipValidity<Box<dyn Scalar>, DictionaryValuesIter<K>, BitmapIter> {
-        ZipValidity::new(
-            DictionaryValuesIter::new(self),
-            self.keys.validity().as_ref().map(|x| x.iter()),
-            self.keys
-                .validity()
-                .as_ref()
-                .map(|validity| validity.unset_bits()),
-        )
+        ZipValidity::new_with_validity(DictionaryValuesIter::new(self), self.keys.validity())
     }
 
     /// Returns an iterator of [`Box<dyn Scalar>`]
diff --git a/src/array/fixed_size_binary/iterator.rs b/src/array/fixed_size_binary/iterator.rs
index 2e4acaf60f2..0d456e0ba35 100644
--- a/src/array/fixed_size_binary/iterator.rs
+++ b/src/array/fixed_size_binary/iterator.rs
@@ -19,11 +19,7 @@ impl<'a> FixedSizeBinaryArray {
     pub fn iter(
         &'a self,
     ) -> ZipValidity<&'a [u8], std::slice::ChunksExact<'a, u8>, BitmapIter<'a>> {
-        ZipValidity::new(
-            self.values_iter(),
-            self.validity.as_ref().map(|x| x.iter()),
-            self.validity.as_ref().map(|validity| validity.unset_bits()),
-        )
+        ZipValidity::new_with_validity(self.values_iter(), self.validity())
     }
 
     /// Returns iterator over the values of [`FixedSizeBinaryArray`]
@@ -46,13 +42,7 @@ impl<'a> MutableFixedSizeBinaryArray {
     pub fn iter(
         &'a self,
     ) -> ZipValidity<&'a [u8], std::slice::ChunksExact<'a, u8>, BitmapIter<'a>> {
-        ZipValidity::new(
-            self.iter_values(),
-            self.validity().as_ref().map(|x| x.iter()),
-            self.validity()
-                .as_ref()
-                .map(|validity| validity.unset_bits()),
-        )
+        ZipValidity::new(self.iter_values(), self.validity().map(|x| x.iter()))
     }
 
     /// Returns iterator over the values of [`MutableFixedSizeBinaryArray`]
diff --git a/src/array/fixed_size_list/iterator.rs b/src/array/fixed_size_list/iterator.rs
index 046050d5671..2f2b70b2eff 100644
--- a/src/array/fixed_size_list/iterator.rs
+++ b/src/array/fixed_size_list/iterator.rs
@@ -36,13 +36,7 @@ impl<'a> IntoIterator for &'a FixedSizeListArray {
 impl<'a> FixedSizeListArray {
     /// Returns an iterator of `Option<Box<dyn Array>>`
     pub fn iter(&'a self) -> ZipIter<'a> {
-        ZipValidity::new(
-            FixedSizeListValuesIter::new(self),
-            self.validity.as_ref().map(|x| x.iter()),
-            self.validity()
-                .as_ref()
-                .map(|validity| validity.unset_bits()),
-        )
+        ZipValidity::new_with_validity(FixedSizeListValuesIter::new(self), self.validity())
     }
 
     /// Returns an iterator of `Box<dyn Array>`
diff --git a/src/array/list/iterator.rs b/src/array/list/iterator.rs
index 8fff5fa8204..d0b7d22455b 100644
--- a/src/array/list/iterator.rs
+++ b/src/array/list/iterator.rs
@@ -35,13 +35,7 @@ impl<'a, O: Offset> IntoIterator for &'a ListArray<O> {
 impl<'a, O: Offset> ListArray<O> {
     /// Returns an iterator of `Option<Box<dyn Array>>`
     pub fn iter(&'a self) -> ZipIter<'a, O> {
-        ZipValidity::new(
-            ListValuesIter::new(self),
-            self.validity.as_ref().map(|x| x.iter()),
-            self.validity()
-                .as_ref()
-                .map(|validity| validity.unset_bits()),
-        )
+        ZipValidity::new_with_validity(ListValuesIter::new(self), self.validity.as_ref())
     }
 
     /// Returns an iterator of `Box<dyn Array>`
diff --git a/src/array/map/iterator.rs b/src/array/map/iterator.rs
index c20324a5d1e..5867372c886 100644
--- a/src/array/map/iterator.rs
+++ b/src/array/map/iterator.rs
@@ -72,11 +72,7 @@ impl<'a> IntoIterator for &'a MapArray {
 impl<'a> MapArray {
     /// Returns an iterator of `Option<Box<dyn Array>>`
     pub fn iter(&'a self) -> ZipValidity<Box<dyn Array>, MapValuesIter<'a>, BitmapIter<'a>> {
-        ZipValidity::new(
-            MapValuesIter::new(self),
-            self.validity.as_ref().map(|x| x.iter()),
-            self.validity.as_ref().map(|x| x.unset_bits()),
-        )
+        ZipValidity::new_with_validity(MapValuesIter::new(self), self.validity())
     }
 
     /// Returns an iterator of `Box<dyn Array>`
diff --git a/src/array/primitive/iterator.rs b/src/array/primitive/iterator.rs
index 7b4a40a0355..18e213b563d 100644
--- a/src/array/primitive/iterator.rs
+++ b/src/array/primitive/iterator.rs
@@ -16,9 +16,9 @@ impl<T: NativeType> IntoIterator for PrimitiveArray<T> {
     fn into_iter(self) -> Self::IntoIter {
         let (_, values, validity) = self.into_inner();
         let values = values.into_iter();
-        let null_count = validity.as_ref().map(|x| x.unset_bits());
-        let validity = validity.map(|x| x.into_iter());
-        ZipValidity::new(values, validity, null_count)
+        let validity =
+            validity.and_then(|validity| (validity.unset_bits() > 0).then(|| validity.into_iter()));
+        ZipValidity::new(values, validity)
     }
 }
 
@@ -39,9 +39,6 @@ impl<'a, T: NativeType> MutablePrimitiveArray<T> {
         ZipValidity::new(
             self.values().iter(),
             self.validity().as_ref().map(|x| x.iter()),
-            self.validity()
-                .as_ref()
-                .map(|validity| validity.unset_bits()),
         )
     }
 
diff --git a/src/array/primitive/mod.rs b/src/array/primitive/mod.rs
index c27e98395fb..a64cd90f38a 100644
--- a/src/array/primitive/mod.rs
+++ b/src/array/primitive/mod.rs
@@ -141,11 +141,7 @@ impl<T: NativeType> PrimitiveArray<T> {
     /// Returns an iterator over the values and validity, `Option<&T>`.
     #[inline]
     pub fn iter(&self) -> ZipValidity<&T, std::slice::Iter<T>, BitmapIter> {
-        ZipValidity::new(
-            self.values().iter(),
-            self.validity().as_ref().map(|x| x.iter()),
-            self.validity.as_ref().map(|validity| validity.unset_bits()),
-        )
+        ZipValidity::new_with_validity(self.values().iter(), self.validity())
     }
 
     /// Returns an iterator of the values, `&T`, ignoring the arrays' validity.
diff --git a/src/array/struct_/iterator.rs b/src/array/struct_/iterator.rs
index 884cc300126..2b6849d2e26 100644
--- a/src/array/struct_/iterator.rs
+++ b/src/array/struct_/iterator.rs
@@ -89,13 +89,7 @@ impl<'a> IntoIterator for &'a StructArray {
 impl<'a> StructArray {
     /// Returns an iterator of `Option<Box<dyn Array>>`
     pub fn iter(&'a self) -> ZipIter<'a> {
-        ZipValidity::new(
-            StructValueIter::new(self),
-            self.validity.as_ref().map(|x| x.iter()),
-            self.validity()
-                .as_ref()
-                .map(|validity| validity.unset_bits()),
-        )
+        ZipValidity::new_with_validity(StructValueIter::new(self), self.validity())
     }
 
     /// Returns an iterator of `Box<dyn Array>`
diff --git a/src/array/utf8/mod.rs b/src/array/utf8/mod.rs
index 84ab1b941f0..5e057e90a5b 100644
--- a/src/array/utf8/mod.rs
+++ b/src/array/utf8/mod.rs
@@ -133,11 +133,7 @@ impl<O: Offset> Utf8Array<O> {
 
     /// Returns an iterator of `Option<&str>`
     pub fn iter(&self) -> ZipValidity<&str, Utf8ValuesIter<O>, BitmapIter> {
-        ZipValidity::new(
-            self.values_iter(),
-            self.validity.as_ref().map(|x| x.iter()),
-            self.validity.as_ref().map(|validity| validity.unset_bits()),
-        )
+        ZipValidity::new_with_validity(self.values_iter(), self.validity())
     }
 
     /// Returns an iterator of `&str`
diff --git a/src/array/utf8/mutable.rs b/src/array/utf8/mutable.rs
index c993ad18f8b..4cc83da9011 100644
--- a/src/array/utf8/mutable.rs
+++ b/src/array/utf8/mutable.rs
@@ -206,11 +206,7 @@ impl<O: Offset> MutableUtf8Array<O> {
 
     /// Returns an iterator of `Option<&str>`
     pub fn iter(&self) -> ZipValidity<&str, MutableUtf8ValuesIter<O>, BitmapIter> {
-        ZipValidity::new(
-            self.values_iter(),
-            self.validity.as_ref().map(|x| x.iter()),
-            self.validity.as_ref().map(|validity| validity.unset_bits()),
-        )
+        ZipValidity::new(self.values_iter(), self.validity.as_ref().map(|x| x.iter()))
     }
 
     /// Converts itself into an [`Array`].
diff --git a/src/bitmap/utils/zip_validity.rs b/src/bitmap/utils/zip_validity.rs
index 201cb071ae2..d43802333a3 100644
--- a/src/bitmap/utils/zip_validity.rs
+++ b/src/bitmap/utils/zip_validity.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+use crate::bitmap::utils::BitmapIter;
+use crate::bitmap::Bitmap;
 use crate::trusted_len::TrustedLen;
 
 /// An [`Iterator`] over validity and values.
@@ -101,12 +103,24 @@ where
     V: Iterator<Item = bool>,
 {
     /// Returns a new [`ZipValidity`]
-    pub fn new(values: I, validity: Option<V>, null_count: Option<usize>) -> Self {
+    pub fn new(values: I, validity: Option<V>) -> Self {
         match validity {
-            // only if we have a validity and there are nulls we will iterate them
-            Some(validity) if null_count != Some(0) => {
-                Self::Optional(ZipValidityIter::new(values, validity))
-            }
+            Some(validity) => Self::Optional(ZipValidityIter::new(values, validity)),
+            _ => Self::Required(values),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl<'a, T, I> ZipValidity<T, I, BitmapIter<'a>>
+where
+    I: Iterator<Item = T>,
+{
+    /// Returns a new [`ZipValidity`] and drops the `validity` if all values
+    /// are valid.
+    pub fn new_with_validity(values: I, validity: Option<&'a Bitmap>) -> Self {
+        // only if the validity has nulls we take the optional branch.
+        match validity.and_then(|validity| (validity.unset_bits() > 0).then(|| validity.iter())) {
+            Some(validity) => Self::Optional(ZipValidityIter::new(values, validity)),
             _ => Self::Required(values),
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/io/avro/write/serialize.rs b/src/io/avro/write/serialize.rs
index 30e31adaed1..cb94b78d28b 100644
--- a/src/io/avro/write/serialize.rs
+++ b/src/io/avro/write/serialize.rs
@@ -126,11 +126,7 @@ fn list_optional<'a, O: Offset>(array: &'a ListArray<O>, schema: &AvroSchema) ->
         .offsets()
         .windows(2)
         .map(|w| (w[1] - w[0]).to_usize() as i64);
-    let lengths = ZipValidity::new(
-        lengths,
-        array.validity().as_ref().map(|x| x.iter()),
-        array.validity().as_ref().map(|x| x.unset_bits()),
-    );
+    let lengths = ZipValidity::new_with_validity(lengths, array.validity());
 
     Box::new(BufStreamingIterator::new(
         lengths,
@@ -184,11 +180,7 @@ fn struct_optional<'a>(array: &'a StructArray, schema: &Record) -> BoxSerializer
         .map(|(x, schema)| new_serializer(x.as_ref(), schema))
         .collect::<Vec<_>>();
 
-    let iterator = ZipValidity::new(
-        0..array.len(),
-        array.validity().as_ref().map(|x| x.iter()),
-        array.validity().as_ref().map(|x| x.unset_bits()),
-    );
+    let iterator = ZipValidity::new_with_validity(0..array.len(), array.validity());
 
     Box::new(BufStreamingIterator::new(
         iterator,
diff --git a/src/io/json/write/serialize.rs b/src/io/json/write/serialize.rs
index 288c23f235b..6b8d93e81f7 100644
--- a/src/io/json/write/serialize.rs
+++ b/src/io/json/write/serialize.rs
@@ -103,11 +103,7 @@ fn struct_serializer<'a>(
     let names = array.fields().iter().map(|f| f.name.as_str());
 
     Box::new(BufStreamingIterator::new(
-        ZipValidity::new(
-            0..array.len(),
-            array.validity().map(|x| x.iter()),
-            array.validity().map(|x| x.unset_bits()),
-        ),
+        ZipValidity::new_with_validity(0..array.len(), array.validity()),
         move |maybe, buf| {
             if maybe.is_some() {
                 let names = names.clone();
diff --git a/tests/it/bitmap/utils/zip_validity.rs b/tests/it/bitmap/utils/zip_validity.rs
index c86240eb0c2..9c6187f60a6 100644
--- a/tests/it/bitmap/utils/zip_validity.rs
+++ b/tests/it/bitmap/utils/zip_validity.rs
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ fn basic() {
     let a = Bitmap::from([true, false]);
     let a = Some(a.iter());
     let values = vec![0, 1];
-    let zip = ZipValidity::new(values.into_iter(), a, None);
+    let zip = ZipValidity::new(values.into_iter(), a);
 
     let a = zip.collect::<Vec<_>>();
     assert_eq!(a, vec![Some(0), None]);
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ fn complete() {
     let a = Bitmap::from([true, false, true, false, true, false, true, false]);
     let a = Some(a.iter());
     let values = vec![0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7];
-    let zip = ZipValidity::new(values.into_iter(), a, None);
+    let zip = ZipValidity::new(values.into_iter(), a);
 
     let a = zip.collect::<Vec<_>>();
     assert_eq!(
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@ fn complete() {
 #[test]
 fn slices() {
     let a = Bitmap::from([true, false]);
-    let null_count = Some(a.unset_bits());
     let a = Some(a.iter());
     let offsets = vec![0, 2, 3];
     let values = vec![1, 2, 3];
@@ -40,7 +39,7 @@ fn slices() {
         let end = x[1];
         &values[start..end]
     });
-    let zip = ZipValidity::new(iter, a, null_count);
+    let zip = ZipValidity::new(iter, a);
 
     let a = zip.collect::<Vec<_>>();
     assert_eq!(a, vec![Some([1, 2].as_ref()), None]);
@@ -51,7 +50,7 @@ fn byte() {
     let a = Bitmap::from([true, false, true, false, false, true, true, false, true]);
     let a = Some(a.iter());
     let values = vec![0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8];
-    let zip = ZipValidity::new(values.into_iter(), a, None);
+    let zip = ZipValidity::new(values.into_iter(), a);
 
     let a = zip.collect::<Vec<_>>();
     assert_eq!(
@@ -75,7 +74,7 @@ fn offset() {
     let a = Bitmap::from([true, false, true, false, false, true, true, false, true]).slice(1, 8);
     let a = Some(a.iter());
     let values = vec![0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7];
-    let zip = ZipValidity::new(values.into_iter(), a, None);
+    let zip = ZipValidity::new(values.into_iter(), a);
 
     let a = zip.collect::<Vec<_>>();
     assert_eq!(
@@ -87,7 +86,7 @@ fn offset() {
 #[test]
 fn none() {
     let values = vec![0, 1, 2];
-    let zip = ZipValidity::new(values.into_iter(), None::<BitmapIter>, None);
+    let zip = ZipValidity::new(values.into_iter(), None::<BitmapIter>);
 
     let a = zip.collect::<Vec<_>>();
     assert_eq!(a, vec![Some(0), Some(1), Some(2)]);
@@ -96,10 +95,9 @@ fn none() {
 #[test]
 fn rev() {
     let a = Bitmap::from([true, false, true, false, false, true, true, false, true]).slice(1, 8);
-    let null_count = Some(a.unset_bits());
     let a = Some(a.iter());
     let values = vec![0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7];
-    let zip = ZipValidity::new(values.into_iter(), a, null_count);
+    let zip = ZipValidity::new(values.into_iter(), a);
 
     let result = zip.rev().collect::<Vec<_>>();
     let expected = vec![None, Some(1), None, None, Some(4), Some(5), None, Some(7)]