diff --git a/temporal-sdk/src/main/java/io/temporal/common/converter/PayloadValidationException.java b/temporal-sdk/src/main/java/io/temporal/common/converter/PayloadValidationException.java
index 459c2a413..1b8095179 100644
--- a/temporal-sdk/src/main/java/io/temporal/common/converter/PayloadValidationException.java
+++ b/temporal-sdk/src/main/java/io/temporal/common/converter/PayloadValidationException.java
@@ -12,12 +12,15 @@ private PayloadValidationException() {}
   /**
    * Creates a non-retryable failure containing payload validation details.
    *
-   * <p>The details are stored as a single value and serialized by the configured {@link
-   * DataConverter}.
+   * <p>Non-null details are stored as a single value and serialized by the configured {@link
+   * DataConverter}. If details are null, the failure has no detail values.
    *
    * @param details payload validation details
    */
   public static ApplicationFailure newPayloadValidationException(Object details) {
+    if (details == null) {
+      return ApplicationFailure.newNonRetryableFailure(MESSAGE, TYPE);
+    }
     return ApplicationFailure.newNonRetryableFailure(MESSAGE, TYPE, details);
   }
 }
diff --git a/temporal-sdk/src/test/java/io/temporal/common/converter/PayloadValidationExceptionTest.java b/temporal-sdk/src/test/java/io/temporal/common/converter/PayloadValidationExceptionTest.java
index bca471d72..0c8b592bc 100644
--- a/temporal-sdk/src/test/java/io/temporal/common/converter/PayloadValidationExceptionTest.java
+++ b/temporal-sdk/src/test/java/io/temporal/common/converter/PayloadValidationExceptionTest.java
@@ -12,6 +12,18 @@
 import org.junit.Test;
 
 public class PayloadValidationExceptionTest {
+  @Test
+  public void newPayloadValidationExceptionWithNullDetailsHasNoDetails() {
+    ApplicationFailure applicationFailure =
+        PayloadValidationException.newPayloadValidationException(null);
+
+    assertEquals(0, applicationFailure.getDetails().getSize());
+
+    DataConverter dataConverter = DefaultDataConverter.STANDARD_INSTANCE;
+    Failure encodedFailure = dataConverter.exceptionToFailure(applicationFailure);
+    assertEquals(0, encodedFailure.getApplicationFailureInfo().getDetails().getPayloadsCount());
+  }
+
   @Test
   public void
       newPayloadValidationExceptionReturnsNonRetryableApplicationFailureWithEncodedDetails() {