diff --git a/lib/google/apis/core/json_representation.rb b/lib/google/apis/core/json_representation.rb
index 843038a02..9fbf4bf01 100644
--- a/lib/google/apis/core/json_representation.rb
+++ b/lib/google/apis/core/json_representation.rb
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ module Google
             ivar_name = "@#{name}".to_sym
             lambda do |_|
               if respond_to?(:[])
-                self[name] || instance_variable_get(ivar_name)
+                self.key?(name) ? self[name] : instance_variable_get(ivar_name)
               else
                 instance_variable_get(ivar_name)
               end