diff --git a/service/src/main/java/org/whispersystems/textsecuregcm/controllers/ProfileController.java b/service/src/main/java/org/whispersystems/textsecuregcm/controllers/ProfileController.java
index aad48471f..e2f6b4352 100644
--- a/service/src/main/java/org/whispersystems/textsecuregcm/controllers/ProfileController.java
+++ b/service/src/main/java/org/whispersystems/textsecuregcm/controllers/ProfileController.java
@@ -187,8 +187,9 @@ public class ProfileController {
       response = Optional.of(generateAvatarUploadForm(avatar));
     }
 
-    List<AccountBadge> updatedBadges = mergeBadgeIdsWithExistingAccountBadges(
-        request.getBadges(), auth.getAccount().getBadges());
+    List<AccountBadge> updatedBadges = request.getBadges()
+        .map(badges -> mergeBadgeIdsWithExistingAccountBadges(badges, auth.getAccount().getBadges()))
+        .orElseGet(() -> auth.getAccount().getBadges());
 
     accountsManager.update(auth.getAccount(), a -> {
       a.setProfileName(request.getName());
diff --git a/service/src/main/java/org/whispersystems/textsecuregcm/entities/CreateProfileRequest.java b/service/src/main/java/org/whispersystems/textsecuregcm/entities/CreateProfileRequest.java
index 28fc87414..38d91fad8 100644
--- a/service/src/main/java/org/whispersystems/textsecuregcm/entities/CreateProfileRequest.java
+++ b/service/src/main/java/org/whispersystems/textsecuregcm/entities/CreateProfileRequest.java
@@ -8,8 +8,9 @@ package org.whispersystems.textsecuregcm.entities;
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.annotation.JsonProperty;
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.annotation.JsonDeserialize;
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.annotation.JsonSerialize;
-import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Optional;
+import javax.annotation.Nullable;
 import javax.validation.constraints.NotEmpty;
 import javax.validation.constraints.NotNull;
 import org.apache.commons.lang3.StringUtils;
@@ -42,8 +43,8 @@ public class CreateProfileRequest {
   private String paymentAddress;
 
   @JsonProperty
-  @NotNull
-  private List<String> badgeIds = new ArrayList<>();
+  @Nullable
+  private List<String> badgeIds;
 
   @JsonProperty
   @NotNull
@@ -95,7 +96,7 @@ public class CreateProfileRequest {
     return StringUtils.stripToNull(paymentAddress);
   }
 
-  public List<String> getBadges() {
-    return badgeIds;
+  public Optional<List<String>> getBadges() {
+    return Optional.ofNullable(badgeIds);
   }
 }