diff --git a/tools/generator/autorest/model/changelog.go b/tools/generator/autorest/model/changelog.go
index 9b02e8834aff..10948c72fa4d 100644
--- a/tools/generator/autorest/model/changelog.go
+++ b/tools/generator/autorest/model/changelog.go
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ func (c Changelog) ToCompactMarkdown() string {
 // GetBreakingChangeItems returns an array of the breaking change items
 func (c Changelog) GetBreakingChangeItems() []string {
 	if c.Modified == nil {
-		return nil
+		return []string{}
 	}
 	return getBreakingChanges(c.Modified.BreakingChanges)
 }
@@ -155,12 +155,11 @@ func getNewContents(c *delta.Content) []string {
 }
 
 func getBreakingChanges(b *report.BreakingChanges) []string {
+	items := make([]string, 0)
 	if b == nil || b.IsEmpty() {
-		return nil
+		return items
 	}
 
-	var items []string
-
 	// get signature changes
 	items = append(items, getSignatureChangeItems(b)...)
 
diff --git a/tools/generator/cmd/root.go b/tools/generator/cmd/root.go
index 6485f52fa324..51581e782b9c 100644
--- a/tools/generator/cmd/root.go
+++ b/tools/generator/cmd/root.go
@@ -209,6 +209,7 @@ func (ctx generateContext) generate(input *pipeline.GenerateInput) (*pipeline.Ge
 			log.Printf("Getting package result for package '%s'", p.PackageName)
 			content := p.Changelog.ToCompactMarkdown()
 			breaking := p.Changelog.HasBreakingChanges()
+			breakingChangeItems := p.Changelog.GetBreakingChangeItems()
 			set.add(pipeline.PackageResult{
 				Version:     version.Number,
 				PackageName: getPackageIdentifier(p.PackageName),
@@ -217,7 +218,7 @@ func (ctx generateContext) generate(input *pipeline.GenerateInput) (*pipeline.Ge
 				Changelog: &pipeline.Changelog{
 					Content:             &content,
 					HasBreakingChange:   &breaking,
-					BreakingChangeItems: p.Changelog.GetBreakingChangeItems(),
+					BreakingChangeItems: &breakingChangeItems,
 				},
 			})
 		}
diff --git a/tools/generator/pipeline/model.go b/tools/generator/pipeline/model.go
index 2f6d44da13eb..577b5aae5c2e 100644
--- a/tools/generator/pipeline/model.go
+++ b/tools/generator/pipeline/model.go
@@ -85,9 +85,9 @@ type PackageResult struct {
 
 // Changelog ...
 type Changelog struct {
-	Content             *string  `json:"content,omitempty"`
-	HasBreakingChange   *bool    `json:"hasBreakingChange,omitempty"`
-	BreakingChangeItems []string `json:"breakingChangeItems,omitempty"`
+	Content             *string   `json:"content,omitempty"`
+	HasBreakingChange   *bool     `json:"hasBreakingChange,omitempty"`
+	BreakingChangeItems *[]string `json:"breakingChangeItems,omitempty"`
 }
 
 // InstallInstructionScriptOutput ...