diff --git a/packages/ember-data/lib/system/store.js b/packages/ember-data/lib/system/store.js
index c84b2b8b346..3f03f423eb6 100644
--- a/packages/ember-data/lib/system/store.js
+++ b/packages/ember-data/lib/system/store.js
@@ -1689,7 +1689,13 @@ Store = Service.extend({
       return internalModels.map((internalModel) => internalModel.getRecord());
     }
 
-    var internalModel = this._pushInternalModel(data.data || data);
+    if (data.data === null) {
+      return null;
+    }
+
+    Ember.assert(`Expected an object in the 'data' property in a call to 'push' for ${data.type}, but was ${Ember.typeOf(data.data)}`, Ember.typeOf(data.data) === 'object');
+
+    var internalModel = this._pushInternalModel(data.data);
 
     return internalModel.getRecord();
   },
@@ -1700,7 +1706,6 @@ Store = Service.extend({
 
   _pushInternalModel: function(data) {
     var modelName = data.type;
-    Ember.assert(`Expected an object as 'data' in a call to 'push' for ${modelName}, but was ${Ember.typeOf(data)}`, Ember.typeOf(data) === 'object');
     Ember.assert(`You must include an 'id' for ${modelName} in an object passed to 'push'`, data.id != null && data.id !== '');
     Ember.assert(`You tried to push data with a type '${modelName}' but no model could be found with that name.`, this._hasModelFor(modelName));
 
diff --git a/packages/ember-data/tests/integration/serializers/json-serializer-test.js b/packages/ember-data/tests/integration/serializers/json-serializer-test.js
index d1a673a8b4b..7256902661c 100644
--- a/packages/ember-data/tests/integration/serializers/json-serializer-test.js
+++ b/packages/ember-data/tests/integration/serializers/json-serializer-test.js
@@ -175,10 +175,12 @@ test("serializeHasMany omits unknown relationships on pushed record", function()
 
   run(function() {
     post = env.store.push({
-      id: "1",
-      type: "post",
-      attributes: {
-        title: "Rails is omakase"
+      data: {
+        id: "1",
+        type: "post",
+        attributes: {
+          title: "Rails is omakase"
+        }
       }
     });
   });
diff --git a/packages/ember-data/tests/integration/store-test.js b/packages/ember-data/tests/integration/store-test.js
index 023ecd73f34..cafb160efe7 100644
--- a/packages/ember-data/tests/integration/store-test.js
+++ b/packages/ember-data/tests/integration/store-test.js
@@ -555,3 +555,14 @@ test("Using store#deleteRecord should mark the model for removal", function() {
   equal(personDeleteRecord.called.length, 1, 'expected person.deleteRecord to have been called');
   ok(person.get('isDeleted'), 'expect person to be isDeleted');
 });
+
+
+test("Store should accept a null value for `data`", function() {
+  expect(0);
+
+  run(function() {
+    store.push({
+      data: null
+    });
+  });
+});