diff --git a/pyiceberg/catalog/rest/__init__.py b/pyiceberg/catalog/rest/__init__.py
index b617cfa7da..9dd13146a9 100644
--- a/pyiceberg/catalog/rest/__init__.py
+++ b/pyiceberg/catalog/rest/__init__.py
@@ -337,7 +337,12 @@ class ListNamespaceResponse(IcebergBaseModel):
 
 class NamespaceResponse(IcebergBaseModel):
     namespace: Identifier = Field()
-    properties: Properties = Field()
+    properties: Properties = Field(default_factory=dict)
+
+    @field_validator("properties", mode="before")
+    @classmethod
+    def _coerce_null_properties(cls, v: Any) -> Any:
+        return v if v is not None else {}
 
 
 class UpdateNamespacePropertiesResponse(IcebergBaseModel):
diff --git a/tests/catalog/test_rest.py b/tests/catalog/test_rest.py
index 99d1ef947b..2731a227ce 100644
--- a/tests/catalog/test_rest.py
+++ b/tests/catalog/test_rest.py
@@ -922,6 +922,30 @@ def test_load_namespace_properties_200(rest_mock: Mocker) -> None:
     assert RestCatalog("rest", uri=TEST_URI, token=TEST_TOKEN).load_namespace_properties(namespace) == {"prop": "yes"}
 
 
+def test_load_namespace_properties_200_omitted(rest_mock: Mocker) -> None:
+    """The REST spec does not require 'properties' in GetNamespaceResponse. When omitted, default to empty dict."""
+    namespace = "leden"
+    rest_mock.get(
+        f"{TEST_URI}v1/namespaces/{namespace}",
+        json={"namespace": ["fokko"]},
+        status_code=200,
+        request_headers=TEST_HEADERS,
+    )
+    assert RestCatalog("rest", uri=TEST_URI, token=TEST_TOKEN).load_namespace_properties(namespace) == {}
+
+
+def test_load_namespace_properties_200_null(rest_mock: Mocker) -> None:
+    """The REST spec marks 'properties' as nullable. When null, default to empty dict."""
+    namespace = "leden"
+    rest_mock.get(
+        f"{TEST_URI}v1/namespaces/{namespace}",
+        json={"namespace": ["fokko"], "properties": None},
+        status_code=200,
+        request_headers=TEST_HEADERS,
+    )
+    assert RestCatalog("rest", uri=TEST_URI, token=TEST_TOKEN).load_namespace_properties(namespace) == {}
+
+
 def test_load_namespace_properties_404(rest_mock: Mocker) -> None:
     namespace = "leden"
     rest_mock.get(