diff --git a/src/lib/Hydra/Schema/Projects.pm b/src/lib/Hydra/Schema/Projects.pm
index 8413481a..fab0d4fa 100644
--- a/src/lib/Hydra/Schema/Projects.pm
+++ b/src/lib/Hydra/Schema/Projects.pm
@@ -263,15 +263,19 @@ sub as_json {
         "enabled" => $self->get_column("enabled") ? JSON::true : JSON::false,
         "hidden" => $self->get_column("hidden") ? JSON::true : JSON::false,
 
+        "jobsets" => [ map { $_->name } $self->jobsets ]
+    );
+
+    my %decl = (
         "declarative" => {
             "file" => $self->get_column("declfile") // "",
             "type" => $self->get_column("decltype") // "",
             "value" => $self->get_column("declvalue") // ""
-        },
-
-        "jobsets" => [ map { $_->name } $self->jobsets ]
+        }
     );
 
+    %json = (%json, %decl) if !($decl{"declarative"}->{"file"} eq "");
+
     return \%json;
 }
 
diff --git a/t/Controller/projects.t b/t/Controller/projects.t
index af3db3d8..fb7df6ad 100644
--- a/t/Controller/projects.t
+++ b/t/Controller/projects.t
@@ -49,12 +49,7 @@ subtest "Read project 'tests'" => sub {
         homepage => "",
         jobsets => [],
         name => "tests",
-        owner => "root",
-        declarative => {
-            file => "",
-            type => "",
-            value => ""
-        }
+        owner => "root"
     });
 };
 
@@ -136,12 +131,7 @@ subtest "Transitioning from declarative project to normal" => sub {
             homepage => "",
             jobsets => [],
             name => "tests",
-            owner => "root",
-            declarative => {
-                file => "",
-                type => "",
-                value => ""
-            }
+            owner => "root"
         });
     };
 };