diff --git a/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/abstract/database_statements.rb b/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/abstract/database_statements.rb
index 5ff81aa02395f..70da9d5f1ee1a 100644
--- a/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/abstract/database_statements.rb
+++ b/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/abstract/database_statements.rb
@@ -287,10 +287,6 @@ def insert_fixture(fixture, table_name)
         execute "INSERT INTO #{quote_table_name(table_name)} (#{key_list.join(', ')}) VALUES (#{value_list.join(', ')})", 'Fixture Insert'
       end
 
-      def null_insert_value
-        Arel.sql 'DEFAULT'
-      end
-
       def empty_insert_statement_value
         "VALUES(DEFAULT)"
       end
diff --git a/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/sqlite_adapter.rb b/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/sqlite_adapter.rb
index e1518f9a0f5c9..ed5006dceccf7 100644
--- a/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/sqlite_adapter.rb
+++ b/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/sqlite_adapter.rb
@@ -346,10 +346,6 @@ def rename_column(table_name, column_name, new_column_name) #:nodoc:
         alter_table(table_name, :rename => {column_name.to_s => new_column_name.to_s})
       end
 
-      def null_insert_value
-        Arel.sql 'NULL'
-      end
-
       def empty_insert_statement_value
         "VALUES(NULL)"
       end
diff --git a/activerecord/lib/active_record/relation.rb b/activerecord/lib/active_record/relation.rb
index 45a7000cce731..8e5f66ec1d223 100644
--- a/activerecord/lib/active_record/relation.rb
+++ b/activerecord/lib/active_record/relation.rb
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ def insert(values)
       end
 
       if values.empty? # empty insert
-        im.values = im.create_values [connection.null_insert_value], []
+        im.values = Arel.sql(connection.empty_insert_statement_value)
       else
         im.insert substitutes
       end