diff --git a/src/main/java/org/springframework/hateoas/config/HypermediaMappingInformationComparator.java b/src/main/java/org/springframework/hateoas/config/HypermediaMappingInformationComparator.java
index f50fd01e..f49312fa 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/springframework/hateoas/config/HypermediaMappingInformationComparator.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/springframework/hateoas/config/HypermediaMappingInformationComparator.java
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ class HypermediaMappingInformationComparator implements Comparator<HypermediaMap
 	 */
 	HypermediaMappingInformationComparator(List<MediaType> mediaTypes) {
 
-		Assert.notEmpty(mediaTypes, "MediaTypes must not be empty!");
+		Assert.notNull(mediaTypes, "MediaTypes must not be null!");
 
 		this.mediaTypes = mediaTypes;
 	}
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/springframework/hateoas/config/EnableHypermediaSupportIntegrationTest.java b/src/test/java/org/springframework/hateoas/config/EnableHypermediaSupportIntegrationTest.java
index c14182a6..5d8428d5 100755
--- a/src/test/java/org/springframework/hateoas/config/EnableHypermediaSupportIntegrationTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/springframework/hateoas/config/EnableHypermediaSupportIntegrationTest.java
@@ -351,13 +351,7 @@ class EnableHypermediaSupportIntegrationTest {
 	 * RepresentationModel -> uber, application/json, application/*+json
 	 *
 	 * hal-forms, uber, application/json, application/*+json
-	 *
-	 *
-	 *
-	 *
-	 *
 	 */
-
 	@Test
 	void ordersMediaTypeIntegrationBasedOnConfiguration() {
 
@@ -370,6 +364,14 @@ class EnableHypermediaSupportIntegrationTest {
 		});
 	}
 
+	@Test // #1521
+	void bootstrapsWithOutDefaultMediaTypeEnabled() {
+
+		assertThatNoException().isThrownBy(() -> {
+			withServletContext(NoDefaultMediaTypes.class, context -> {});
+		});
+	}
+
 	private static void assertEntityLinksSetUp(ApplicationContext context) {
 
 		assertThat(context.getBeansOfType(EntityLinks.class).values()) //
@@ -588,4 +590,8 @@ class EnableHypermediaSupportIntegrationTest {
 	static class MediaTypeOrdering {
 
 	}
+
+	@Configuration
+	@EnableHypermediaSupport(type = {})
+	static class NoDefaultMediaTypes {}
 }