diff --git a/lib/vty.c b/lib/vty.c
index ffb7274b901c..f395fd3ea1d8 100644
--- a/lib/vty.c
+++ b/lib/vty.c
@@ -383,11 +383,14 @@ int vty_json_no_pretty(struct vty *vty, struct json_object *json)
 	return vty_json_helper(vty, json, JSON_C_TO_STRING_NOSLASHESCAPE);
 }
 
-void vty_json_empty(struct vty *vty)
+void vty_json_empty(struct vty *vty, struct json_object *json)
 {
-	json_object *json = json_object_new_object();
+	json_object *jsonobj = json;
 
-	vty_json(vty, json);
+	if (!json)
+		jsonobj = json_object_new_object();
+
+	vty_json(vty, jsonobj);
 }
 
 /* Output current time to the vty. */
diff --git a/lib/vty.h b/lib/vty.h
index a8654f8b6999..346e44910a01 100644
--- a/lib/vty.h
+++ b/lib/vty.h
@@ -377,7 +377,7 @@ extern bool vty_set_include(struct vty *vty, const char *regexp);
  */
 extern int vty_json(struct vty *vty, struct json_object *json);
 extern int vty_json_no_pretty(struct vty *vty, struct json_object *json);
-extern void vty_json_empty(struct vty *vty);
+extern void vty_json_empty(struct vty *vty, struct json_object *json);
 /* post fd to be passed to the vtysh client
  * fd is owned by the VTY code after this and will be closed when done
  */
diff --git a/ospfd/ospf_vty.c b/ospfd/ospf_vty.c
index 8c3ad7f372d5..0fcbee9b0867 100644
--- a/ospfd/ospf_vty.c
+++ b/ospfd/ospf_vty.c
@@ -5709,7 +5709,7 @@ DEFPY(show_ip_ospf_neighbor_id,
 					"%% OSPF is not enabled in vrf %s\n",
 					vrf_name);
 			else
-				vty_json_empty(vty);
+				vty_json_empty(vty, NULL);
 			return CMD_SUCCESS;
 		}
 		ret = show_ip_ospf_neighbor_id_common(
@@ -6210,7 +6210,7 @@ DEFPY(show_ip_ospf_neighbor_int,
 
 	if (!ospf || !ospf->oi_running) {
 		if (json)
-			vty_json_empty(vty);
+			vty_json_empty(vty, NULL);
 		return ret;
 	}
 
@@ -6220,7 +6220,7 @@ DEFPY(show_ip_ospf_neighbor_int,
 	ifp = if_lookup_by_name(ifname, vrf_id);
 	if (!ifp) {
 		if (json)
-			vty_json_empty(vty);
+			vty_json_empty(vty, NULL);
 		else
 			vty_out(vty, "No such interface.\n");
 		return ret;
@@ -6257,7 +6257,7 @@ DEFPY(show_ip_ospf_neighbor_int_detail,
 					"%% OSPF is not enabled in vrf %s\n",
 					vrf_name);
 			else
-				vty_json_empty(vty);
+				vty_json_empty(vty, NULL);
 			return CMD_SUCCESS;
 		}
 		return show_ip_ospf_neighbor_int_detail_common(
diff --git a/pimd/pim_cmd.c b/pimd/pim_cmd.c
index 2e90cf905337..628a4459454a 100644
--- a/pimd/pim_cmd.c
+++ b/pimd/pim_cmd.c
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ static struct vrf *pim_cmd_lookup_vrf(struct vty *vty, struct cmd_token *argv[],
 
 	if (!vrf) {
 		if (uj)
-			vty_json_empty(vty);
+			vty_json_empty(vty, NULL);
 		else
 			vty_out(vty, "Specified VRF: %s does not exist\n",
 				argv[*idx]->arg);
diff --git a/zebra/zebra_vxlan.c b/zebra/zebra_vxlan.c
index 50a7462d89cc..5480a94d27c5 100644
--- a/zebra/zebra_vxlan.c
+++ b/zebra/zebra_vxlan.c
@@ -308,7 +308,7 @@ static void zevpn_print_neigh_hash_all_evpn_detail(struct hash_bucket *bucket,
 	zevpn = (struct zebra_evpn *)bucket->data;
 	if (!zevpn) {
 		if (json)
-			vty_out(vty, "{}\n");
+			vty_json_empty(vty, json);
 		return;
 	}
 	num_neigh = hashcount(zevpn->neigh_table);
@@ -515,7 +515,7 @@ static void zevpn_print_mac_hash_all_evpn_detail(struct hash_bucket *bucket,
 	zevpn = (struct zebra_evpn *)bucket->data;
 	if (!zevpn) {
 		if (json)
-			vty_out(vty, "{}\n");
+			vty_json_empty(vty, json);
 		return;
 	}
 	wctx->zevpn = zevpn;
@@ -2590,14 +2590,15 @@ void zebra_vxlan_print_specific_rmac_l3vni(struct vty *vty, vni_t l3vni,
 		json = json_object_new_object();
 
 	if (!is_evpn_enabled()) {
-		vty_json(vty, json);
+		if (use_json)
+			vty_json_empty(vty, json);
 		return;
 	}
 
 	zl3vni = zl3vni_lookup(l3vni);
 	if (!zl3vni) {
 		if (use_json)
-			vty_json(vty, json);
+			vty_json_empty(vty, json);
 		else
 			vty_out(vty, "%% L3-VNI %u doesn't exist\n", l3vni);
 		return;
@@ -2631,14 +2632,15 @@ void zebra_vxlan_print_rmacs_l3vni(struct vty *vty, vni_t l3vni, bool use_json)
 		json = json_object_new_object();
 
 	if (!is_evpn_enabled()) {
-		vty_json(vty, json);
+		if (use_json)
+			vty_json_empty(vty, json);
 		return;
 	}
 
 	zl3vni = zl3vni_lookup(l3vni);
 	if (!zl3vni) {
 		if (use_json)
-			vty_json(vty, json);
+			vty_json_empty(vty, json);
 		else
 			vty_out(vty, "%% L3-VNI %u does not exist\n", l3vni);
 		return;
@@ -2672,7 +2674,8 @@ void zebra_vxlan_print_rmacs_all_l3vni(struct vty *vty, bool use_json)
 		json = json_object_new_object();
 
 	if (!is_evpn_enabled()) {
-		vty_json(vty, json);
+		if (use_json)
+			vty_json_empty(vty, json);
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -2698,7 +2701,8 @@ void zebra_vxlan_print_specific_nh_l3vni(struct vty *vty, vni_t l3vni,
 		json = json_object_new_object();
 
 	if (!is_evpn_enabled()) {
-		vty_json(vty, json);
+		if (use_json)
+			vty_json_empty(vty, json);
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -2709,7 +2713,7 @@ void zebra_vxlan_print_specific_nh_l3vni(struct vty *vty, vni_t l3vni,
 		zl3vni = zl3vni_lookup(l3vni);
 		if (!zl3vni) {
 			if (use_json)
-				vty_out(vty, "{}\n");
+				vty_json(vty, json);
 			else
 				vty_out(vty, "%% L3-VNI %u does not exist\n",
 					l3vni);
@@ -2721,7 +2725,7 @@ void zebra_vxlan_print_specific_nh_l3vni(struct vty *vty, vni_t l3vni,
 
 	if (!n) {
 		if (use_json)
-			vty_out(vty, "{}\n");
+			vty_json_empty(vty, json);
 		else
 			vty_out(vty,
 				"%% Requested next-hop not present for L3-VNI %u\n",
@@ -2742,13 +2746,16 @@ static void l3vni_print_nh_table(struct hash *nh_table, struct vty *vty,
 	struct nh_walk_ctx wctx;
 	json_object *json = NULL;
 
-	num_nh = hashcount(nh_table);
-	if (!num_nh)
-		return;
-
 	if (use_json)
 		json = json_object_new_object();
 
+	num_nh = hashcount(nh_table);
+	if (!num_nh) {
+		if (use_json)
+			vty_json_empty(vty, json);
+		return;
+	}
+
 	wctx.vty = vty;
 	wctx.json = json;
 	if (!use_json) {
@@ -2770,14 +2777,14 @@ void zebra_vxlan_print_nh_l3vni(struct vty *vty, vni_t l3vni, bool use_json)
 
 	if (!is_evpn_enabled()) {
 		if (use_json)
-			vty_out(vty, "{}\n");
+			vty_json_empty(vty, NULL);
 		return;
 	}
 
 	zl3vni = zl3vni_lookup(l3vni);
 	if (!zl3vni) {
 		if (use_json)
-			vty_out(vty, "{}\n");
+			vty_json_empty(vty, NULL);
 		else
 			vty_out(vty, "%% L3-VNI %u does not exist\n", l3vni);
 		return;
@@ -2790,7 +2797,7 @@ void zebra_vxlan_print_nh_svd(struct vty *vty, bool use_json)
 {
 	if (!is_evpn_enabled()) {
 		if (use_json)
-			vty_out(vty, "{}\n");
+			vty_json_empty(vty, NULL);
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -2806,7 +2813,8 @@ void zebra_vxlan_print_nh_all_l3vni(struct vty *vty, bool use_json)
 		json = json_object_new_object();
 
 	if (!is_evpn_enabled()) {
-		vty_json(vty, json);
+		if (use_json)
+			vty_json_empty(vty, json);
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -2834,14 +2842,15 @@ void zebra_vxlan_print_l3vni(struct vty *vty, vni_t vni, bool use_json)
 		json = json_object_new_object();
 
 	if (!is_evpn_enabled()) {
-		vty_json(vty, json);
+		if (use_json)
+			vty_json_empty(vty, json);
 		return;
 	}
 
 	zl3vni = zl3vni_lookup(vni);
 	if (!zl3vni) {
 		if (use_json)
-			vty_json(vty, json);
+			vty_json_empty(vty, json);
 		else
 			vty_out(vty, "%% VNI %u does not exist\n", vni);
 		return;
@@ -2905,14 +2914,15 @@ void zebra_vxlan_print_neigh_vni(struct vty *vty, struct zebra_vrf *zvrf,
 		json = json_object_new_object();
 
 	if (!is_evpn_enabled()) {
-		vty_json(vty, json);
+		if (use_json)
+			vty_json_empty(vty, json);
 		return;
 	}
 
 	zevpn = zebra_evpn_lookup(vni);
 	if (!zevpn) {
 		if (use_json)
-			vty_json(vty, json);
+			vty_json_empty(vty, json);
 		else
 			vty_out(vty, "%% VNI %u does not exist\n", vni);
 		return;
@@ -2959,7 +2969,8 @@ void zebra_vxlan_print_neigh_all_vni(struct vty *vty, struct zebra_vrf *zvrf,
 		json = json_object_new_object();
 
 	if (!is_evpn_enabled()) {
-		vty_json(vty, json);
+		if (use_json)
+			vty_json_empty(vty, json);
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -2989,7 +3000,8 @@ void zebra_vxlan_print_neigh_all_vni_detail(struct vty *vty,
 		json = json_object_new_object();
 
 	if (!is_evpn_enabled()) {
-		vty_json(vty, json);
+		if (use_json)
+			vty_json_empty(vty, json);
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -3020,14 +3032,15 @@ void zebra_vxlan_print_specific_neigh_vni(struct vty *vty,
 		json = json_object_new_object();
 
 	if (!is_evpn_enabled()) {
-		vty_json(vty, json);
+		if (use_json)
+			vty_json_empty(vty, json);
 		return;
 	}
 
 	zevpn = zebra_evpn_lookup(vni);
 	if (!zevpn) {
 		if (use_json)
-			vty_json(vty, json);
+			vty_json_empty(vty, json);
 		else
 			vty_out(vty, "%% VNI %u does not exist\n", vni);
 		return;
@@ -3064,14 +3077,15 @@ void zebra_vxlan_print_neigh_vni_vtep(struct vty *vty, struct zebra_vrf *zvrf,
 		json = json_object_new_object();
 
 	if (!is_evpn_enabled()) {
-		vty_json(vty, json);
+		if (use_json)
+			vty_json_empty(vty, json);
 		return;
 	}
 
 	zevpn = zebra_evpn_lookup(vni);
 	if (!zevpn) {
 		if (use_json)
-			vty_json(vty, json);
+			vty_json_empty(vty, json);
 		else
 			vty_out(vty, "%% VNI %u does not exist\n", vni);
 		return;
@@ -3113,14 +3127,15 @@ void zebra_vxlan_print_neigh_vni_dad(struct vty *vty,
 		json = json_object_new_object();
 
 	if (!is_evpn_enabled()) {
-		vty_json(vty, json);
+		if (use_json)
+			vty_json_empty(vty, json);
 		return;
 	}
 
 	zevpn = zebra_evpn_lookup(vni);
 	if (!zevpn) {
 		if (use_json)
-			vty_json(vty, json);
+			vty_json_empty(vty, json);
 		else
 			vty_out(vty, "%% VNI %u does not exist\n", vni);
 		return;
@@ -3177,21 +3192,24 @@ void zebra_vxlan_print_macs_vni(struct vty *vty, struct zebra_vrf *zvrf,
 
 	if (!is_evpn_enabled()) {
 		if (use_json)
-			vty_out(vty, "{}\n");
+			vty_json_empty(vty, NULL);
 		return;
 	}
 
 	zevpn = zebra_evpn_lookup(vni);
 	if (!zevpn) {
 		if (use_json)
-			vty_out(vty, "{}\n");
+			vty_json_empty(vty, NULL);
 		else
 			vty_out(vty, "%% VNI %u does not exist\n", vni);
 		return;
 	}
 	num_macs = num_valid_macs(zevpn);
-	if (!num_macs)
+	if (!num_macs) {
+		if (use_json)
+			vty_json_empty(vty, NULL);
 		return;
+	}
 
 	if (use_json) {
 		json = json_object_new_object();
@@ -3250,7 +3268,8 @@ void zebra_vxlan_print_macs_all_vni(struct vty *vty, struct zebra_vrf *zvrf,
 		json = json_object_new_object();
 
 	if (!is_evpn_enabled()) {
-		vty_json(vty, json);
+		if (use_json)
+			vty_json_empty(vty, json);
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -3278,7 +3297,8 @@ void zebra_vxlan_print_macs_all_vni_detail(struct vty *vty,
 		json = json_object_new_object();
 
 	if (!is_evpn_enabled()) {
-		vty_json(vty, json);
+		if (use_json)
+			vty_json_empty(vty, json);
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -3307,7 +3327,8 @@ void zebra_vxlan_print_macs_all_vni_vtep(struct vty *vty,
 		json = json_object_new_object();
 
 	if (!is_evpn_enabled()) {
-		vty_json(vty, json);
+		if (use_json)
+			vty_json_empty(vty, json);
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -3337,7 +3358,8 @@ void zebra_vxlan_print_specific_mac_vni(struct vty *vty, struct zebra_vrf *zvrf,
 		json = json_object_new_object();
 
 	if (!is_evpn_enabled()) {
-		vty_json(vty, json);
+		if (use_json)
+			vty_json_empty(vty, json);
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -3377,22 +3399,34 @@ void zebra_vxlan_print_macs_vni_dad(struct vty *vty,
 	json_object *json = NULL;
 	json_object *json_mac = NULL;
 
-	if (!is_evpn_enabled())
+	if (!is_evpn_enabled()) {
+		if (use_json)
+			vty_json_empty(vty, NULL);
 		return;
+	}
 
 	zevpn = zebra_evpn_lookup(vni);
 	if (!zevpn) {
-		vty_out(vty, "%% VNI %u does not exist\n", vni);
+		if (use_json)
+			vty_json_empty(vty, NULL);
+		else
+			vty_out(vty, "%% VNI %u does not exist\n", vni);
 		return;
 	}
 
 	num_macs = num_valid_macs(zevpn);
-	if (!num_macs)
+	if (!num_macs) {
+		if (use_json)
+			vty_json_empty(vty, NULL);
 		return;
+	}
 
 	num_macs = num_dup_detected_macs(zevpn);
-	if (!num_macs)
+	if (!num_macs) {
+		if (use_json)
+			vty_json_empty(vty, NULL);
 		return;
+	}
 
 	if (use_json) {
 		json = json_object_new_object();
@@ -3727,21 +3761,25 @@ void zebra_vxlan_print_macs_vni_vtep(struct vty *vty, struct zebra_vrf *zvrf,
 	json_object *json_mac = NULL;
 
 	if (!is_evpn_enabled()) {
-		vty_json(vty, json);
+		if (use_json)
+			vty_json_empty(vty, NULL);
 		return;
 	}
 
 	zevpn = zebra_evpn_lookup(vni);
 	if (!zevpn) {
 		if (use_json)
-			vty_out(vty, "{}\n");
+			vty_json_empty(vty, NULL);
 		else
 			vty_out(vty, "%% VNI %u does not exist\n", vni);
 		return;
 	}
 	num_macs = num_valid_macs(zevpn);
-	if (!num_macs)
+	if (!num_macs) {
+		if (use_json)
+			vty_json_empty(vty, NULL);
 		return;
+	}
 
 	if (use_json) {
 		json = json_object_new_object();
@@ -3785,7 +3823,8 @@ void zebra_vxlan_print_vni(struct vty *vty, struct zebra_vrf *zvrf, vni_t vni,
 		json = json_object_new_object();
 
 	if (!is_evpn_enabled()) {
-		vty_json(vty, json);
+		if (use_json)
+			vty_json_empty(vty, json);
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -3829,7 +3868,8 @@ void zebra_vxlan_print_evpn(struct vty *vty, bool uj)
 		json = json_object_new_object();
 
 	if (!is_evpn_enabled()) {
-		vty_json(vty, json);
+		if (uj)
+			vty_json(vty, json);
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -3906,7 +3946,8 @@ void zebra_vxlan_print_vnis(struct vty *vty, struct zebra_vrf *zvrf,
 		json = json_object_new_object();
 
 	if (!is_evpn_enabled()) {
-		vty_json(vty, json);
+		if (use_json)
+			vty_json_empty(vty, json);
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -3990,7 +4031,7 @@ void zebra_vxlan_print_vnis_detail(struct vty *vty, struct zebra_vrf *zvrf,
 
 	if (!is_evpn_enabled()) {
 		if (use_json)
-			vty_out(vty, "{}\n");
+			vty_json_empty(vty, NULL);
 		return;
 	}