diff --git a/src/Models/JsonApiFormatter.php b/src/Models/JsonApiFormatter.php
index 72b6c0e..de6305a 100644
--- a/src/Models/JsonApiFormatter.php
+++ b/src/Models/JsonApiFormatter.php
@@ -637,35 +637,15 @@ public function dataResourceResponseArray($data_resources = null): array
         // clear errors: it must not be set in an dataResource response
         unset($this->base_response_array['errors']);
 
-        if (!$data_resources) {
-            // if there's no resources provided, load internally
-
-            $data_resources = $this->getData();
-
-            // empty is not allowed::
-            if (!$data_resources) {
-                throw new JsonApiFormatterException('A Data resource requires data to be generated');
-            }
-        } else {
-            // Try and load external data:
-
-            // catch bad data:
-            if (!($data_resources instanceof DataResource || is_array($data_resources))) {
-                $error = '$data_resources needs to be a data resource or array of data resources';
-                throw new JsonApiFormatterException($error);
-            }
+        // load if it's not been provided:
+        if ($data_resources !== null) {
+            $this->setData($data_resources);
+        }
 
-            if ($data_resources instanceof DataResource) {
-                $this->setData($data_resources);
-            } else {
-                foreach ($data_resources as $data_resource) {
-                    if (!$data_resource instanceof DataResource) {
-                        $error = '$data_resources needs to be a data resource or array of data resources';
-                        throw new JsonApiFormatterException($error);
-                    }
-                    $this->addData($data_resource);
-                }
-            }
+        // if it's still null, it needs data!:
+        if ($this->getData() === null) {
+            $message = 'Data needs to be set to a data resource or array of data resources';
+            throw new JsonApiFormatterException($message);
         }
 
         $this->autoIncludeJsonapi();
@@ -787,4 +767,5 @@ public function validateDataResourceArray(array $data_resource_array): bool
         return true;
     }
 
+
 }
diff --git a/tests/Unit/JsonApiFormatterTest.php b/tests/Unit/JsonApiFormatterTest.php
index ab58b9b..acff950 100644
--- a/tests/Unit/JsonApiFormatterTest.php
+++ b/tests/Unit/JsonApiFormatterTest.php
@@ -486,9 +486,9 @@ public function testDataResourceResponseNoData()
     {
         $json_api_formatter = new JsonApiFormatter();
 
-        // First exception hit is 'id'
+        // Instantiates with a null:
         $this->expectException(JsonApiFormatterException::class);
-        $this->expectExceptionMessage('A Data resource requires data to be generated');
+        $this->expectExceptionMessage('Data needs to be set to a data resource or array of data resources');
         $json_api_formatter->dataResourceResponse();
     }
 
@@ -539,6 +539,22 @@ public function testDataResourceResponse()
         $response = $json_api_formatter->dataResourceResponse([$data_resource, $data_resource2]);
 
         $this->assertEquals($validated_array_json, $response);
+
+        // Empty array (still valid)
+
+        $validated_array = [
+            'data' => [],
+            'meta' => (object)['status' => null],
+            'jsonapi' => (object)['version' => '1.0']
+        ];
+
+        $validated_array_json = json_encode($validated_array, true);
+
+        $json_api_formatter = new JsonApiFormatter();
+        $response = $json_api_formatter->dataResourceResponse([]);
+
+        $this->assertEquals($validated_array_json, $response);
+
     }
 
     /**
@@ -551,7 +567,7 @@ public function testDataResourceResponseObjectException()
         // Single data resource
 
         $this->expectException(JsonApiFormatterException::class);
-        $this->expectExceptionMessage('$data_resources needs to be a data resource or array of data resources');
+        $this->expectExceptionMessage('$data needs to be either a DataResource or an array of DataResource objects');
         $json_api_formatter->dataResourceResponse(new StdCLass());
     }
 
@@ -565,7 +581,7 @@ public function testDataResourceResponseArrayException()
         // Single data resource
 
         $this->expectException(JsonApiFormatterException::class);
-        $this->expectExceptionMessage('$data_resources needs to be a data resource or array of data resources');
+        $this->expectExceptionMessage('$data needs to be either a DataResource or an array of DataResource objects');
         $json_api_formatter->dataResourceResponse([new StdCLass()]);
     }