diff -r f2ed5de1c568 Lib/plistlib.py
--- a/Lib/plistlib.py	Wed May 16 21:40:01 2012 +0200
+++ b/Lib/plistlib.py	Wed May 16 18:00:30 2012 -0400
@@ -237,20 +237,26 @@
         self.endElement("data")
 
     def writeDict(self, d):
-        self.beginElement("dict")
-        items = sorted(d.items())
-        for key, value in items:
-            if not isinstance(key, str):
-                raise TypeError("keys must be strings")
-            self.simpleElement("key", key)
-            self.writeValue(value)
-        self.endElement("dict")
+        if d:
+            self.beginElement("dict")
+            items = sorted(d.items())
+            for key, value in items:
+                if not isinstance(key, str):
+                    raise TypeError("keys must be strings")
+                self.simpleElement("key", key)
+                self.writeValue(value)
+            self.endElement("dict")
+        else:
+            self.simpleElement("dict")
 
     def writeArray(self, array):
-        self.beginElement("array")
-        for value in array:
-            self.writeValue(value)
-        self.endElement("array")
+        if array:
+            self.beginElement("array")
+            for value in array:
+                self.writeValue(value)
+            self.endElement("array")
+        else:
+            self.simpleElement("array")
 
 
 class _InternalDict(dict):