diff --git a/src/main/java/org/springframework/hateoas/EntityModel.java b/src/main/java/org/springframework/hateoas/EntityModel.java
index e1567bb8..abb9900d 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/springframework/hateoas/EntityModel.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/springframework/hateoas/EntityModel.java
@@ -33,9 +33,11 @@ import com.fasterxml.jackson.core.JsonGenerator;
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.BeanProperty;
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.JsonMappingException;
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.JsonSerializer;
+import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.SerializationFeature;
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.SerializerProvider;
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.annotation.JsonSerialize;
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ser.ContextualSerializer;
+import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ser.impl.UnknownSerializer;
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ser.std.JsonValueSerializer;
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ser.std.StdSerializer;
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.util.NameTransformer;
@@ -225,6 +227,11 @@ public class EntityModel<T> extends RepresentationModel<EntityModel<T>> {
 
 			JsonSerializer<Object> serializer = provider.findValueSerializer(value.getClass());
 
+			if (UnknownSerializer.class.isInstance(serializer)
+					&& !provider.isEnabled(SerializationFeature.FAIL_ON_EMPTY_BEANS)) {
+				return;
+			}
+
 			if (JsonValueSerializer.class.isInstance(serializer)) {
 				throw new IllegalStateException(
 						"@JsonValue rendered classes can not be directly nested in EntityModel as they do not produce a document key!");
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/springframework/hateoas/EntityModelIntegrationTest.java b/src/test/java/org/springframework/hateoas/EntityModelIntegrationTest.java
index 41479ae6..8c094e7e 100755
--- a/src/test/java/org/springframework/hateoas/EntityModelIntegrationTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/springframework/hateoas/EntityModelIntegrationTest.java
@@ -21,6 +21,9 @@ import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
 
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.annotation.JsonAutoDetect;
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.annotation.JsonAutoDetect.Visibility;
+import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.JsonMappingException;
+import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ObjectMapper;
+import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.SerializationFeature;
 
 /**
  * Integration tests for {@link EntityModel}.
@@ -59,6 +62,22 @@ class EntityModelIntegrationTest extends AbstractJackson2MarshallingIntegrationT
 		assertThat(result.getContent().lastname).isEqualTo("Matthews");
 	}
 
+	@Test // #1686
+	void doesNotFailOnSerializingEmptyBean() {
+
+		ObjectMapper mapper = MappingTestUtils.defaultObjectMapper();
+
+		// Fail if we're supposed to
+		assertThatExceptionOfType(JsonMappingException.class) //
+				.isThrownBy(() -> mapper.enable(SerializationFeature.FAIL_ON_EMPTY_BEANS)
+						.writeValueAsString(EntityModel.of(new Empty())));
+
+		// Ignore empty bean if we're supposed to
+		assertThatNoException() //
+				.isThrownBy(() -> mapper.disable(SerializationFeature.FAIL_ON_EMPTY_BEANS)
+						.writeValueAsString(EntityModel.of(new Empty())));
+	}
+
 	static class PersonModel extends EntityModel<Person> {
 
 		public PersonModel(Person person) {
@@ -74,4 +93,6 @@ class EntityModelIntegrationTest extends AbstractJackson2MarshallingIntegrationT
 		String firstname;
 		String lastname;
 	}
+
+	static class Empty {}
 }