diff --git a/geoservercloud/models/featuretype.py b/geoservercloud/models/featuretype.py
index 2b761d4..591a2d6 100644
--- a/geoservercloud/models/featuretype.py
+++ b/geoservercloud/models/featuretype.py
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ def __init__(
         namespace_name: str | None = None,
         title: dict[str, str] | str | None = None,
         abstract: dict[str, str] | str | None = None,
-        keywords: list[str] | None = [],
+        keywords: list[str] | None = None,
         native_bounding_box: dict[str, Any] | None = None,
         lat_lon_bounding_box: dict[str, Any] | None = None,
         attributes: list[dict[str, Any]] | None = None,
@@ -130,7 +130,6 @@ def from_get_response_payload(cls, content: dict):
             title=title,
             abstract=abstract,
             srs=feature_type["srs"],
-            keywords=feature_type["keywords"]["string"],
             attributes=feature_type["attributes"]["attribute"],
             metadata_links=metadata_links,
             enabled=feature_type["enabled"],
@@ -142,6 +141,7 @@ def from_get_response_payload(cls, content: dict):
             advertised=feature_type.get("advertised"),
             native_bounding_box=feature_type.get("nativeBoundingBox"),
             lat_lon_bounding_box=feature_type.get("latLonBoundingBox"),
+            keywords=feature_type.get("keywords", {}).get("string"),
             encode_measures=feature_type.get("encodeMeasures"),
             forced_decimals=feature_type.get("forcedDecimals"),
             simple_conversion_enabled=feature_type.get("simpleConversionEnabled"),
@@ -194,8 +194,10 @@ def asdict(self) -> dict[str, Any]:
 
     def post_payload(self) -> dict[str, Any]:
         content = self.asdict()
-        content["attributes"] = {"attribute": self.attributes}
-        content["keywords"] = {"string": self.keywords}
+        if self.attributes is not None:
+            content["attributes"] = {"attribute": self.attributes}
+        if self.keywords is not None:
+            content["keywords"] = {"string": self.keywords}
         return {"featureType": content}
 
     def put_payload(self) -> dict[str, Any]:
diff --git a/tests/models/test_featuretype.py b/tests/models/test_featuretype.py
index 100a112..fde5ed3 100644
--- a/tests/models/test_featuretype.py
+++ b/tests/models/test_featuretype.py
@@ -252,3 +252,16 @@ def test_featuretype_repr():
     expected_repr = json.dumps(feature_type.post_payload(), indent=4)
 
     assert repr(feature_type) == expected_repr
+
+
+def test_featuretype_create_no_keyword():
+    feature_type = FeatureType(
+        namespace_name="test_namespace",
+        workspace_name="test_workspace",
+        store_name="test_store",
+        name="test_name",
+        native_name="test_native_name",
+        keywords=None,
+    )
+
+    assert feature_type.post_payload()["featureType"].get("keywords") is None