diff --git a/src/model.js b/src/model.js
index 2547f302f3..3bca9b0461 100644
--- a/src/model.js
+++ b/src/model.js
@@ -1819,10 +1819,11 @@
             var group = record._values[this.name];
             var prm = jQuery.when();
             if (jQuery.isEmptyObject(value)) {
-                return prm;
+                value = [];
             }
             var mode;
-            if (!isNaN(parseInt(value[0], 10))) {
+            if (jQuery.isEmptyObject(value) ||
+                    !isNaN(parseInt(value[0], 10))) {
                 mode = 'list ids';
             } else {
                 mode = 'list values';