diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index f040685..09fc8e0 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 # HEAD
 
+-   Allow empty metadata in data files when using the RESTful API [#107](https://github.com/ziotom78/instrumentdb/pull/107)
+
 -   Implement Swagger and Redoc web pages documenting the RESTful API [#106](https://github.com/ziotom78/instrumentdb/pull/106)
 
 -   Validate entity/quantity names in forms and RESTful API [#102](https://github.com/ziotom78/instrumentdb/pull/102), [#105](https://github.com/ziotom78/instrumentdb/pull/105)
diff --git a/browse/migrations/0007_alter_datafile_metadata.py b/browse/migrations/0007_alter_datafile_metadata.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a4dbdc7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/browse/migrations/0007_alter_datafile_metadata.py
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+# Generated by Django 4.2.4 on 2023-08-11 13:46
+
+import browse.models
+from django.db import migrations, models
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+    dependencies = [
+        ("browse", "0006_alter_entity_name_alter_quantity_name"),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.AlterField(
+            model_name="datafile",
+            name="metadata",
+            field=models.TextField(
+                blank=True,
+                help_text="JSON record containing metadata for the file",
+                max_length=32768,
+                null=True,
+                validators=[browse.models.validate_json],
+                verbose_name="JSON-formatted metadata",
+            ),
+        ),
+    ]
diff --git a/browse/models.py b/browse/models.py
index dc822cd..ec6c3d6 100644
--- a/browse/models.py
+++ b/browse/models.py
@@ -175,6 +175,9 @@
 def validate_json(value):
     """Check that `value` is a valid JSON record"""
 
+    if value is None or value == "":
+        return
+
     try:
         json.loads(value)
     except json.JSONDecodeError as err:
@@ -364,6 +367,7 @@ class DataFile(models.Model):
         "JSON-formatted metadata",
         max_length=32768,
         blank=True,
+        null=True,
         help_text="JSON record containing metadata for the file",
         validators=[validate_json],
     )
diff --git a/browse/serializers.py b/browse/serializers.py
index a36dcd6..d4d06fb 100644
--- a/browse/serializers.py
+++ b/browse/serializers.py
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ class DataFileSerializer(serializers.HyperlinkedModelSerializer):
     url = serializers.HyperlinkedIdentityField(
         view_name="datafile-detail", read_only=True
     )
-    metadata = JSONField(validators=[serializer_validate_json])
+    metadata = JSONField(required=False, validators=[serializer_validate_json])
 
     class Meta:
         model = DataFile