diff --git a/Lib/json/encoder.py b/Lib/json/encoder.py
index fb083ed61b..c044c3e2fc 100644
--- a/Lib/json/encoder.py
+++ b/Lib/json/encoder.py
@@ -323,10 +323,13 @@ def _make_iterencode(markers, _default, _encoder, _indent, _floatstr,
                 else:
                     chunks = _iterencode(value, _current_indent_level)
                 yield from chunks
-        if newline_indent is not None:
-            _current_indent_level -= 1
-            yield '\n' + _indent * _current_indent_level
-        yield ']'
+        if first:
+            yield '[]'
+        else:
+            if newline_indent is not None:
+                _current_indent_level -= 1
+                yield '\n' + _indent * _current_indent_level
+            yield ']'
         if markers is not None:
             del markers[markerid]