diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/filters/group_by.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/filters/group_by.rs
index 3f4c8417f..7fd9774d2 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/filters/group_by.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/filters/group_by.rs
@@ -128,12 +128,9 @@ pub fn group_by(
     let values: Vec<Value> = input.into_iter().collect();
 
     if values.is_empty() {
-        return Err(ShellError::GenericError(
-            "expected table from pipeline".into(),
-            "requires a table input".into(),
-            Some(span),
+        return Ok(PipelineData::Value(
+            Value::record(Record::new(), Span::unknown()),
             None,
-            Vec::new(),
         ));
     }
 
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/group_by.rs b/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/group_by.rs
index 245bcd3b4..caded3291 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/group_by.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/group_by.rs
@@ -97,9 +97,10 @@ fn errors_if_column_not_found() {
 }
 
 #[test]
-fn errors_if_input_empty() {
-    let actual = nu!("group-by date");
-    assert!(actual.err.contains("expected table from pipeline"));
+fn group_by_on_empty_list_returns_empty_record() {
+    let actual = nu!("[[a b]; [1 2]] | where false | group-by a");
+    assert!(actual.err.is_empty());
+    assert!(actual.out.contains("empty record"));
 }
 
 #[test]