diff --git a/spec/deserialize.spec.ts b/spec/deserialize.spec.ts
index 3a7b64d..2d94d2d 100644
--- a/spec/deserialize.spec.ts
+++ b/spec/deserialize.spec.ts
@@ -252,6 +252,26 @@ describe("Deserializing", function () {
                     expect(instance.test.value2).toBe(100);
                 });
 
+                it("deserializes nullable nested types", function () {
+                    class Test {
+                        @deserializeAs(String) value0 : string = "bad";
+                        @deserializeAs(Boolean) value1 : boolean = false;
+                        @deserializeAs(Number) value2 : number = 1;
+                    }
+
+                    class Test0 {
+                        @deserializeAs(Test) test : Test;
+                    }
+
+                    const json = {
+                        test: null
+                    };
+                    const target = createTarget(makeTarget, instantiationMethod, Test0);
+                    if (target) target.test = createTarget(makeTarget, instantiationMethod, Test);
+                    const instance = Deserialize(json, Test0, target, instantiationMethod);
+                    expect(instance.test).toBeNull();
+                });
+
                 it("deserializes doubly nested types", function () {
                     class Test0 {
                         @deserializeAs(String) value0 : string = "bad";
diff --git a/src/deserialize.ts b/src/deserialize.ts
index b77ac95..53310cb 100644
--- a/src/deserialize.ts
+++ b/src/deserialize.ts
@@ -121,6 +121,8 @@ export function DeserializeJSON<T extends JsonType>(data : JsonType, transformKe
 }
 
 function _Deserialize<T extends Indexable>(data : JsonObject, type : SerializableType<T>, target? : T, instantiationMethod? : InstantiationMethod) : T | null {
+  if (data === null) { return null; }
+
   const metadataList = MetaData.getMetaDataForType(type);
 
   if (metadataList === null) {