diff --git a/spring-integration-jdbc/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/jdbc/JdbcOutboundGateway.java b/spring-integration-jdbc/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/jdbc/JdbcOutboundGateway.java
index b31d5b8b5f..88ce8b59ac 100644
--- a/spring-integration-jdbc/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/jdbc/JdbcOutboundGateway.java
+++ b/spring-integration-jdbc/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/jdbc/JdbcOutboundGateway.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2021 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2022 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -221,9 +221,6 @@ public class JdbcOutboundGateway extends AbstractReplyProducingMessageHandler {
 			list = this.poller.doPoll(sqlQueryParameterSource);
 		}
 		Object payload = list;
-		if (list.isEmpty()) {
-			return null;
-		}
 		if (list.size() == 1 && (this.maxRows == null || this.maxRows == 1)) {
 			payload = list.get(0);
 		}
diff --git a/spring-integration-jpa/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/jpa/core/JpaExecutor.java b/spring-integration-jpa/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/jpa/core/JpaExecutor.java
index 90b422199d..75c402078a 100644
--- a/spring-integration-jpa/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/jpa/core/JpaExecutor.java
+++ b/spring-integration-jpa/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/jpa/core/JpaExecutor.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2021 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2022 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -51,7 +51,6 @@ import org.springframework.util.CollectionUtils;
  *     <li>JpQl Named Query</li>
  *     <li>Sql Native Named Query</li>
  * </ul>.
- *
  * When objects are being retrieved, it also possibly to:
  *
  * <ul>
@@ -176,8 +175,8 @@ public class JpaExecutor implements InitializingBean, BeanFactoryAware {
 	 * @param jpaQuery The provided JPA query must neither be null nor empty.
 	 */
 	public void setJpaQuery(String jpaQuery) {
-		Assert.isTrue(this.nativeQuery == null && this.namedQuery == null, "You can define only one of the "
-				+ "properties 'jpaQuery', 'nativeQuery', 'namedQuery'");
+		Assert.isTrue(this.nativeQuery == null && this.namedQuery == null,
+				"Only one of the properties 'jpaQuery', 'nativeQuery', 'namedQuery' can be defined");
 		Assert.hasText(jpaQuery, "jpaQuery must neither be null nor empty.");
 		this.jpaQuery = jpaQuery;
 	}
@@ -190,8 +189,8 @@ public class JpaExecutor implements InitializingBean, BeanFactoryAware {
 	 * @param nativeQuery The provided SQL query must neither be null nor empty.
 	 */
 	public void setNativeQuery(String nativeQuery) {
-		Assert.isTrue(this.namedQuery == null && this.jpaQuery == null, "You can define only one of the "
-				+ "properties 'jpaQuery', 'nativeQuery', 'namedQuery'");
+		Assert.isTrue(this.namedQuery == null && this.jpaQuery == null,
+				"Only one of the properties 'jpaQuery', 'nativeQuery', 'namedQuery' can be defined");
 		Assert.hasText(nativeQuery, "nativeQuery must neither be null nor empty.");
 		this.nativeQuery = nativeQuery;
 	}
@@ -202,8 +201,8 @@ public class JpaExecutor implements InitializingBean, BeanFactoryAware {
 	 * @param namedQuery Must neither be null nor empty
 	 */
 	public void setNamedQuery(String namedQuery) {
-		Assert.isTrue(this.jpaQuery == null && this.nativeQuery == null, "You can define only one of the "
-				+ "properties 'jpaQuery', 'nativeQuery', 'namedQuery'");
+		Assert.isTrue(this.jpaQuery == null && this.nativeQuery == null,
+				"Only one of the properties 'jpaQuery', 'nativeQuery', 'namedQuery' can be defined");
 		Assert.hasText(namedQuery, "namedQuery must neither be null nor empty.");
 		this.namedQuery = namedQuery;
 	}
@@ -312,7 +311,6 @@ public class JpaExecutor implements InitializingBean, BeanFactoryAware {
 	 * <p>If set to <code>false</code>, the complete result list is returned as the
 	 * payload.
 	 * @param expectSingleResult true if a single object is expected.
-	 *
 	 */
 	public void setExpectSingleResult(boolean expectSingleResult) {
 		this.expectSingleResult = expectSingleResult;
@@ -339,7 +337,7 @@ public class JpaExecutor implements InitializingBean, BeanFactoryAware {
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * Set the expression for maximum number of results expression. It has be a non null value
+	 * Set the expression for maximum number of results expression. It has to be a non-null value
 	 * Not setting one will default to the behavior of fetching all the records
 	 * @param maxResultsExpression The maximum results expression.
 	 */
@@ -413,7 +411,7 @@ public class JpaExecutor implements InitializingBean, BeanFactoryAware {
 
 	/**
 	 * Execute the actual Jpa Operation. Call this method, if you need access to
-	 * process return values. This methods return a Map that contains either
+	 * process return values. These methods return a Map that contains either
 	 * the number of affected entities or the affected entity itself.
 	 *<p>Keep in mind that the number of entities effected by the operation may
 	 * not necessarily correlate with the number of rows effected in the database.
@@ -497,7 +495,7 @@ public class JpaExecutor implements InitializingBean, BeanFactoryAware {
 			payload = this.jpaOperations.find(entityClazz, id);
 		}
 		else {
-			final List<?> result;
+			List<?> result;
 			int maxNumberOfResults = evaluateExpressionForNumericResult(requestMessage, this.maxResultsExpression);
 			if (requestMessage == null) {
 				result = doPoll(this.parameterSource, 0, maxNumberOfResults);
@@ -511,27 +509,18 @@ public class JpaExecutor implements InitializingBean, BeanFactoryAware {
 				result = doPoll(paramSource, firstResult, maxNumberOfResults);
 			}
 
-			if (result.isEmpty()) {
-				payload = null;
-			}
-			else {
-				if (this.expectSingleResult) {
-					if (result.size() == 1) {
-						payload = result.iterator().next();
-					}
-					else if (requestMessage != null) {
-						throw new MessagingException(requestMessage,
-								"The Jpa operation returned more than 1 result for expectSingleResult mode.");
-					}
-					else {
-						throw new MessagingException(
-								"The Jpa operation returned more than 1 result for expectSingleResult mode.");
-					}
+			if (this.expectSingleResult && !result.isEmpty()) {
+				if (result.size() == 1) {
+					payload = result.iterator().next();
 				}
 				else {
-					payload = result;
+					throw new MessagingException(requestMessage, // NOSONAR
+							"The Jpa operation returned more than 1 result for expectSingleResult mode.");
 				}
 			}
+			else {
+				payload = result;
+			}
 		}
 
 		checkDelete(payload);
diff --git a/spring-integration-jpa/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/jpa/inbound/JpaPollingChannelAdapter.java b/spring-integration-jpa/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/jpa/inbound/JpaPollingChannelAdapter.java
index c52f6dc4d2..a0a8af3285 100644
--- a/spring-integration-jpa/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/jpa/inbound/JpaPollingChannelAdapter.java
+++ b/spring-integration-jpa/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/jpa/inbound/JpaPollingChannelAdapter.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2021 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2022 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ package org.springframework.integration.jpa.inbound;
 import org.springframework.integration.endpoint.AbstractMessageSource;
 import org.springframework.integration.jpa.core.JpaExecutor;
 import org.springframework.util.Assert;
+import org.springframework.util.ObjectUtils;
 
 /**
  * Polling message source that produces messages from the result of the provided:
@@ -30,11 +31,8 @@ import org.springframework.util.Assert;
  *     <li>JpQl Named Query</li>
  *     <li>Sql Native Named Query</li>
  * </ul>.
- *
  * After the objects have been polled, it also possibly to either:
  *
- * executes an update after the select possibly to updated the state of selected records
- *
  * <ul>
  *     <li>executes an update (per retrieved object or for the entire payload)</li>
  *     <li>delete the retrieved object</li>
@@ -73,13 +71,14 @@ public class JpaPollingChannelAdapter extends AbstractMessageSource<Object> {
 
 	/**
 	 * Use {@link JpaExecutor#poll()} to executes the JPA operation.
-	 * If {@link JpaExecutor#poll()} returns null, this method will return
-	 * <code>null</code>. Otherwise, a new {@link org.springframework.messaging.Message}
-	 * is constructed and returned.
+	 * Return {@code null} if result of {@link JpaExecutor#poll()} is {@link ObjectUtils#isEmpty}.
+	 * The empty collection means there is no data to retrieve from DB at the moment therefore
+	 * no reason to emit an empty message from this message source.
 	 */
 	@Override
 	protected Object doReceive() {
-		return this.jpaExecutor.poll();
+		Object result = this.jpaExecutor.poll();
+		return ObjectUtils.isEmpty(result) ? null : result;
 	}
 
 	@Override
diff --git a/spring-integration-jpa/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/jpa/core/JpaExecutorTests.java b/spring-integration-jpa/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/jpa/core/JpaExecutorTests.java
index 7226893084..f790268421 100644
--- a/spring-integration-jpa/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/jpa/core/JpaExecutorTests.java
+++ b/spring-integration-jpa/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/jpa/core/JpaExecutorTests.java
@@ -94,15 +94,13 @@ public class JpaExecutorTests {
 
 		assertThatIllegalArgumentException()
 				.isThrownBy(() -> executor.setNamedQuery("NamedQuery"))
-				.withMessage("You can define only one of the "
-						+ "properties 'jpaQuery', 'nativeQuery', 'namedQuery'");
+				.withMessage("Only one of the properties 'jpaQuery', 'nativeQuery', 'namedQuery' can be defined");
 
 		assertThat(TestUtils.getPropertyValue(executor, "namedQuery")).isNull();
 
 		assertThatIllegalArgumentException()
 				.isThrownBy(() -> executor.setNativeQuery("select * from Student"))
-				.withMessage("You can define only one of the "
-						+ "properties 'jpaQuery', 'nativeQuery', 'namedQuery'");
+				.withMessage("Only one of the properties 'jpaQuery', 'nativeQuery', 'namedQuery' can be defined");
 
 		assertThat(TestUtils.getPropertyValue(executor, "nativeQuery")).isNull();
 
@@ -112,8 +110,7 @@ public class JpaExecutorTests {
 
 		assertThatIllegalArgumentException()
 				.isThrownBy(() -> executor2.setJpaQuery("select s from Student s"))
-				.withMessage("You can define only one of the "
-						+ "properties 'jpaQuery', 'nativeQuery', 'namedQuery'");
+				.withMessage("Only one of the properties 'jpaQuery', 'nativeQuery', 'namedQuery' can be defined");
 
 		assertThat(TestUtils.getPropertyValue(executor2, "jpaQuery")).isNull();
 	}
diff --git a/spring-integration-jpa/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/jpa/outbound/JpaOutboundGatewayTests.java b/spring-integration-jpa/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/jpa/outbound/JpaOutboundGatewayTests.java
index 62f0d89610..6df7421a7f 100644
--- a/spring-integration-jpa/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/jpa/outbound/JpaOutboundGatewayTests.java
+++ b/spring-integration-jpa/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/jpa/outbound/JpaOutboundGatewayTests.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2021 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2022 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ public class JpaOutboundGatewayTests {
 		List<StudentDomain> allStudents = this.studentService.getAllStudents();
 		assertThat(allStudents).hasSize(3);
 		this.studentService.deleteStudents(allStudents);
-		assertThat(this.studentService.getAllStudents()).isNull();
+		assertThat(this.studentService.getAllStudents()).isEmpty();
 	}
 
 }
diff --git a/src/reference/asciidoc/jdbc.adoc b/src/reference/asciidoc/jdbc.adoc
index f01d0baf0c..0a051b7bf6 100644
--- a/src/reference/asciidoc/jdbc.adoc
+++ b/src/reference/asciidoc/jdbc.adoc
@@ -365,6 +365,10 @@ It can also have a `SqlParameterSourceFactory` injected to control the binding o
 Starting with the version 4.2, the `request-prepared-statement-setter` attribute is available on the `<int-jdbc:outbound-gateway>` as an alternative to `request-sql-parameter-source-factory`.
 It lets you specify a `MessagePreparedStatementSetter` bean reference, which implements more sophisticated `PreparedStatement` preparation before its execution.
 
+Starting with the version 6.0, the `JdbcOutboundGateway` returns an empty list result as is instead of converting it to `null` as it was before with the meaning "no reply".
+This caused an extra configuration in applications where handling of empty lists is a part of downstream logic.
+See <<./splitter.adoc#split-stream-and-flux,Splitter Discard Channel>> for possible empty list handling option.
+
 See <<jdbc-outbound-channel-adapter>> for more information about `MessagePreparedStatementSetter`.
 
 [[jdbc-message-store]]
diff --git a/src/reference/asciidoc/jpa.adoc b/src/reference/asciidoc/jpa.adoc
index 70e6fa03e2..c4baf64eab 100644
--- a/src/reference/asciidoc/jpa.adoc
+++ b/src/reference/asciidoc/jpa.adoc
@@ -1011,10 +1011,89 @@ public class JpaJavaApplication {
 [[jpa-retrieving-outbound-gateway]]
 ==== Retrieving Outbound Gateway
 
-The following example shows all the attributes that you can set on a retrieving outbound gateway and describes the key attributes:
+The following example demonstrates how to configure a retrieving outbound gateway:
 
 ====
-[source,xml]
+[source, java, role="primary"]
+.Java DSL
+----
+@SpringBootApplication
+@EntityScan(basePackageClasses = StudentDomain.class)
+public class JpaJavaApplication {
+
+    public static void main(String[] args) {
+        new SpringApplicationBuilder(JpaJavaApplication.class)
+            .web(false)
+            .run(args);
+    }
+
+    @Autowired
+    private EntityManagerFactory entityManagerFactory;
+
+    @Bean
+    public IntegrationFlow retrievingGatewayFlow() {
+        return f -> f
+                .handle(Jpa.retrievingGateway(this.entityManagerFactory)
+                       .jpaQuery("from Student s where s.id = :id")
+                       .expectSingleResult(true)
+                       .parameterExpression("id", "payload"))
+                .channel(c -> c.queue("retrieveResults"));
+    }
+
+}
+----
+[source, kotlin, role="secondary"]
+.Kotlin DSL
+----
+@Bean
+fun retrievingGatewayFlow() =
+    integrationFlow {
+        handle(Jpa.retrievingGateway(this.entityManagerFactory)
+                .jpaQuery("from Student s where s.id = :id")
+                .expectSingleResult(true)
+                .parameterExpression("id", "payload"))
+        channel { queue("retrieveResults") }
+    }
+----
+[source, java, role="secondary"]
+.Java
+----
+@SpringBootApplication
+@EntityScan(basePackageClasses = StudentDomain.class)
+public class JpaJavaApplication {
+
+    public static void main(String[] args) {
+        new SpringApplicationBuilder(JpaJavaApplication.class)
+            .web(false)
+            .run(args);
+    }
+
+    @Autowired
+    private EntityManagerFactory entityManagerFactory;
+
+
+    @Bean
+    public JpaExecutor jpaExecutor() {
+        JpaExecutor executor = new JpaExecutor(this.entityManagerFactory);
+        jpaExecutor.setJpaQuery("from Student s where s.id = :id");
+        executor.setJpaParameters(Collections.singletonList(new JpaParameter("id", null, "payload")));
+        jpaExecutor.setExpectSingleResult(true);
+        return executor;
+    }
+
+    @Bean
+    @ServiceActivator(channel = "jpaRetrievingChannel")
+    public MessageHandler jpaOutbound() {
+        JpaOutboundGateway adapter = new JpaOutboundGateway(jpaExecutor());
+        adapter.setOutputChannelName("retrieveResults");
+        adapter.setGatewayType(OutboundGatewayType.RETRIEVING);
+        return adapter;
+    }
+
+}
+----
+[source, xml, role="secondary"]
+.XML
 ----
 <int-jpa:retrieving-outbound-gateway request-channel=""
     auto-startup="true"
@@ -1075,86 +1154,6 @@ Version 3.0 introduced this attribute.
 Optional.
 ====
 
-The remaining attributes are described earlier in this chapter.
-See <<jpaInboundChannelAdapterParameters>> and <<jpaOutboundChannelAdapterParameters>>.
-
-==== Configuring with Java Configuration
-
-The following Spring Boot application shows an example of how configure the outbound adapter with Java:
-
-====
-[source, java]
-----
-@SpringBootApplication
-@EntityScan(basePackageClasses = StudentDomain.class)
-public class JpaJavaApplication {
-
-    public static void main(String[] args) {
-        new SpringApplicationBuilder(JpaJavaApplication.class)
-            .web(false)
-            .run(args);
-    }
-
-    @Autowired
-    private EntityManagerFactory entityManagerFactory;
-
-
-    @Bean
-    public JpaExecutor jpaExecutor() {
-        JpaExecutor executor = new JpaExecutor(this.entityManagerFactory);
-        jpaExecutor.setJpaQuery("from Student s where s.id = :id");
-        executor.setJpaParameters(Collections.singletonList(new JpaParameter("id", null, "payload")));
-        jpaExecutor.setExpectSingleResult(true);
-        return executor;
-    }
-
-    @Bean
-    @ServiceActivator(channel = "jpaRetrievingChannel")
-    public MessageHandler jpaOutbound() {
-        JpaOutboundGateway adapter = new JpaOutboundGateway(jpaExecutor());
-        adapter.setOutputChannelName("retrieveResults");
-        adapter.setGatewayType(OutboundGatewayType.RETRIEVING);
-        return adapter;
-    }
-
-}
-----
-====
-
-==== Configuring with the Java DSL
-
-The following Spring Boot application shows an example of how to configure the outbound adapter with the Java DSL:
-
-====
-[source, java]
-----
-@SpringBootApplication
-@EntityScan(basePackageClasses = StudentDomain.class)
-public class JpaJavaApplication {
-
-    public static void main(String[] args) {
-        new SpringApplicationBuilder(JpaJavaApplication.class)
-            .web(false)
-            .run(args);
-    }
-
-    @Autowired
-    private EntityManagerFactory entityManagerFactory;
-
-    @Bean
-    public IntegrationFlow retrievingGatewayFlow() {
-        return f -> f
-                .handle(Jpa.retrievingGateway(this.entityManagerFactory)
-                       .jpaQuery("from Student s where s.id = :id")
-                       .expectSingleResult(true)
-                       .parameterExpression("id", "payload"))
-                .channel(c -> c.queue("retrieveResults"));
-    }
-
-}
-----
-====
-
 [IMPORTANT]
 ====
 When you choose to delete entities upon retrieval, and you have retrieved a collection of entities, by default, entities are deleted on a per-entity basis.
@@ -1171,6 +1170,12 @@ It does not cascade to related entities.`"
 For more information, see https://jcp.org/en/jsr/detail?id=317[JSR 317: Java™ Persistence 2.0]
 ====
 
+NOTE: Starting with version 6.0, the `Jpa.retrievingGateway()` returns an empty list result when there are no entities returned by the query.
+Previously `null` was returned ending the flow, or throwing an exception, depending on `requiresReply`.
+Or, to revert to the previous behavior, add a `filter` after the gateway to filter out empty lists.
+It requires extra configuration in applications where empty list handling is a part of the downstream logic.
+See <<./splitter.adoc#split-stream-and-flux,Splitter Discard Channel>> for possible empty list handling options.
+
 [[outboundGatewaySamples]]
 ==== JPA Outbound Gateway Samples
 
diff --git a/src/reference/asciidoc/whats-new.adoc b/src/reference/asciidoc/whats-new.adoc
index c311405043..3a4f5c53a2 100644
--- a/src/reference/asciidoc/whats-new.adoc
+++ b/src/reference/asciidoc/whats-new.adoc
@@ -100,6 +100,9 @@ See <<./gateway.adoc#async-gateway, Asynchronous Gateway>> for more information.
 
 The `integrationGlobalProperties` bean is now declared by the framework as an instance of `org.springframework.integration.context.IntegrationProperties` instead of the previously deprecated `java.util.Properties`.
 
+Message handlers which produce a collection as a reply (e.g. `JpaOutboundGateway`, `JdbcOutboundGateway` and other DB-based gateways) now return an empty result list if no records are returned by the query.
+Previously, `null` was returned ending the flow, or throwing an exception, depending on `requiresReply`.
+
 [[x6.0-rmi]]
 === RMI Removal