diff --git a/src/fields/hooks/beforeChange/promise.ts b/src/fields/hooks/beforeChange/promise.ts
index ea97983c96..e37e2ea516 100644
--- a/src/fields/hooks/beforeChange/promise.ts
+++ b/src/fields/hooks/beforeChange/promise.ts
@@ -50,7 +50,10 @@ export const promise = async ({
   skipValidation,
 }: Args): Promise<void> => {
   const passesCondition = (field.admin?.condition) ? field.admin.condition(data, siblingData) : true;
-  const skipValidationFromHere = skipValidation || !passesCondition;
+  let skipValidationFromHere = skipValidation || !passesCondition;
+
+  const defaultLocale = req.payload.config?.localization ? req.payload.config.localization?.defaultLocale : 'en';
+  const operationLocale = req.locale || defaultLocale;
 
   if (fieldAffectsData(field)) {
     if (typeof siblingData[field.name] === 'undefined') {
@@ -73,6 +76,17 @@ export const promise = async ({
       }
     }
 
+    if (siblingData[field.name] === null) {
+      if (field.localized && ['array', 'blocks'].includes(field.type)) {
+        if (operationLocale !== defaultLocale) {
+          // localized fields set to null and not the default locale, should be set to undefined
+          // this way fallback locale can be used
+          siblingData[field.name] = undefined;
+          skipValidationFromHere = true;
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
     // Execute hooks
     if (field.hooks?.beforeChange) {
       await field.hooks.beforeChange.reduce(async (priorHook, currentHook) => {
@@ -95,13 +109,11 @@ export const promise = async ({
 
     // Validate
     if (!skipValidationFromHere && field.validate) {
-      let valueToValidate;
+      let valueToValidate = siblingData[field.name];
 
       if (['array', 'blocks'].includes(field.type)) {
         const rows = siblingData[field.name];
         valueToValidate = Array.isArray(rows) ? rows.length : 0;
-      } else {
-        valueToValidate = siblingData[field.name];
       }
 
       const validationResult = await field.validate(valueToValidate, {
@@ -127,21 +139,20 @@ export const promise = async ({
     if (field.localized) {
       mergeLocaleActions.push(() => {
         if (req.payload.config.localization) {
-          const localeData = req.payload.config.localization.locales.reduce((locales, localeID) => {
-            let valueToSet = siblingData[field.name];
+          const localeData = req.payload.config.localization.locales.reduce((localizedValues, locale) => {
+            const fieldValue = locale === req.locale
+              ? siblingData[field.name]
+              : siblingDocWithLocales?.[field.name]?.[locale];
 
-            if (localeID !== req.locale) {
-              valueToSet = siblingDocWithLocales?.[field.name]?.[localeID];
-            }
-
-            if (typeof valueToSet !== 'undefined') {
+            // update locale value if it's not undefined
+            if (typeof fieldValue !== 'undefined') {
               return {
-                ...locales,
-                [localeID]: valueToSet,
+                ...localizedValues,
+                [locale]: fieldValue,
               };
             }
 
-            return locales;
+            return localizedValues;
           }, {});
 
           // If there are locales with data, set the data
@@ -221,7 +232,6 @@ export const promise = async ({
         await Promise.all(promises);
       }
 
-
       break;
     }
 
@@ -256,7 +266,6 @@ export const promise = async ({
         await Promise.all(promises);
       }
 
-
       break;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/mongoose/buildSchema.ts b/src/mongoose/buildSchema.ts
index c434a6dc15..e4afffb751 100644
--- a/src/mongoose/buildSchema.ts
+++ b/src/mongoose/buildSchema.ts
@@ -330,6 +330,7 @@ const fieldToSchemaMap: Record<string, FieldSchemaGenerator> = {
   array: (field: ArrayField, schema: Schema, config: SanitizedConfig, buildSchemaOptions: BuildSchemaOptions) => {
     const baseSchema = {
       ...formatBaseSchema(field, buildSchemaOptions),
+      default: undefined,
       type: [buildSchema(
         config,
         field.fields,
@@ -392,7 +393,10 @@ const fieldToSchemaMap: Record<string, FieldSchemaGenerator> = {
     });
   },
   blocks: (field: BlockField, schema: Schema, config: SanitizedConfig, buildSchemaOptions: BuildSchemaOptions): void => {
-    const fieldSchema = [new Schema({}, { _id: false, discriminatorKey: 'blockType' })];
+    const fieldSchema = {
+      default: undefined,
+      type: [new Schema({}, { _id: false, discriminatorKey: 'blockType' })],
+    };
 
     schema.add({
       [field.name]: localizeSchema(field, fieldSchema, config.localization),
diff --git a/test/fields/config.ts b/test/fields/config.ts
index 4dbdd6e82f..dae155e758 100644
--- a/test/fields/config.ts
+++ b/test/fields/config.ts
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ export default buildConfig({
   localization: {
     defaultLocale: 'en',
     locales: ['en', 'es'],
+    fallback: true,
   },
   onInit: async (payload) => {
     await payload.create({
diff --git a/test/fields/int.spec.ts b/test/fields/int.spec.ts
index 09d4a90211..7f6c3d8408 100644
--- a/test/fields/int.spec.ts
+++ b/test/fields/int.spec.ts
@@ -276,13 +276,13 @@ describe('Fields', () => {
       });
     });
 
-    it('should return empty array for arrays when no data present', async () => {
+    it('should return undefined arrays when no data present', async () => {
       const document = await payload.create<ArrayField>({
         collection: arrayFieldsSlug,
         data: arrayDoc,
       });
 
-      expect(document.potentiallyEmptyArray).toEqual([]);
+      expect(document.potentiallyEmptyArray).toBeUndefined();
     });
 
     it('should create with ids and nested ids', async () => {