diff --git a/matlab/src/matlab/+arrow/+array/+internal/+list/TableValidator.m b/matlab/src/matlab/+arrow/+array/+internal/+list/TableValidator.m
index 88b09496e865d..76a74df48267d 100644
--- a/matlab/src/matlab/+arrow/+array/+internal/+list/TableValidator.m
+++ b/matlab/src/matlab/+arrow/+array/+internal/+list/TableValidator.m
@@ -66,7 +66,9 @@ function validateElement(obj, element)
             for ii=1:numVars
                 var = element.(ii);
 
-                if ~istable(var) && ~iscolumn(var)
+                % In order to concatenate tables together later, require
+                % all non-tabular variables to be columnar or empty.
+                if ~istable(var) && (~iscolumn(var) || isempty(var))
                     id = "arrow:array:list:NonTabularVariablesMustBeColumnar";
                     msg = "Table variables must be columnar";
                     error(id, msg);