parse json FEATURE support empty lists

Refs #1822
diff --git a/tests/utests/data/test_parser_json.c b/tests/utests/data/test_parser_json.c
index a9c537f..4682dcf 100644
--- a/tests/utests/data/test_parser_json.c
+++ b/tests/utests/data/test_parser_json.c
@@ -172,6 +172,11 @@
     CHECK_LYD_STRING(tree, LYD_PRINT_SHRINK | LYD_PRINT_WITHSIBLINGS, data);
     lyd_free_all(tree);
 
+    /* accept empty */
+    data = "{\"a:ll1\":[]}";
+    CHECK_PARSE_LYD(data, 0, LYD_VALIDATE_PRESENT, tree);
+    assert_null(tree);
+
     /* simple metadata */
     data = "{\"a:ll1\":[10,11],\"@a:ll1\":[null,{\"a:hint\":2}]}";
     CHECK_PARSE_LYD(data, 0, LYD_VALIDATE_PRESENT, tree);
@@ -368,10 +373,14 @@
     LY_LIST_FOR(list->child, iter) {
         assert_int_not_equal(0, iter->hash);
     }
-
     CHECK_LYD_STRING(tree, LYD_PRINT_SHRINK | LYD_PRINT_WITHSIBLINGS, data);
     lyd_free_all(tree);
 
+    /* accept empty */
+    data = "{\"a:l1\":[]}";
+    CHECK_PARSE_LYD(data, 0, LYD_VALIDATE_PRESENT, tree);
+    assert_null(tree);
+
     /* missing keys */
     PARSER_CHECK_ERROR("{ \"a:l1\": [ {\"c\" : 1, \"b\" : \"b\"}]}", 0, LYD_VALIDATE_PRESENT, tree, LY_EVALID,
             "List instance is missing its key \"a\".", "Schema location /a:l1, data location /a:l1[b='b'][c='1'], line number 1.");
diff --git a/tests/utests/utests.h b/tests/utests/utests.h
index 7e85a66..2a5e8a2 100644
--- a/tests/utests/utests.h
+++ b/tests/utests/utests.h
@@ -140,11 +140,6 @@
                 fail_msg("%s != 0x%d", #RET, _r); \
             } \
         } \
-        if (RET == LY_SUCCESS) { \
-            assert_non_null(OUT_NODE); \
-        } else { \
-            assert_null(OUT_NODE); \
-        } \
     }
 
 /**