diff --git a/packages/babel-core/test/fixtures/transformation/optimisation.react.inline-elements/multiline/actual.js b/packages/babel-core/test/fixtures/transformation/optimisation.react.inline-elements/multiline/actual.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b9d702f6f3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/babel-core/test/fixtures/transformation/optimisation.react.inline-elements/multiline/actual.js
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+<Baz>
+</Baz>;
diff --git a/packages/babel-core/test/fixtures/transformation/optimisation.react.inline-elements/multiline/expected.js b/packages/babel-core/test/fixtures/transformation/optimisation.react.inline-elements/multiline/expected.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..84efbdfec2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/babel-core/test/fixtures/transformation/optimisation.react.inline-elements/multiline/expected.js
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+"use strict";
+
+({
+  $$typeof: babelHelpers.typeofReactElement,
+  type: Baz,
+  key: null,
+  ref: null,
+  props: babelHelpers.defaultProps(Baz.defaultProps, {}),
+  _owner: null
+});
diff --git a/packages/babel-plugin-transform-react-inline-elements/src/index.js b/packages/babel-plugin-transform-react-inline-elements/src/index.js
index deae408c08..9d6b307f3c 100644
--- a/packages/babel-plugin-transform-react-inline-elements/src/index.js
+++ b/packages/babel-plugin-transform-react-inline-elements/src/index.js
@@ -43,8 +43,10 @@ export default function ({ types: t }) {
 
         if (node.children.length) {
           let children = t.react.buildChildren(node);
-          children = children.length === 1 ? children[0] : t.arrayExpression(children);
-          pushProp(props.properties, t.identifier("children"), children);
+          if (children.length) {
+            children = children.length === 1 ? children[0] : t.arrayExpression(children);
+            pushProp(props.properties, t.identifier("children"), children);
+          }
         }
 
         // props