diff --git a/src/Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Abstractions/ModelBinding/ModelStateDictionary.cs b/src/Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Abstractions/ModelBinding/ModelStateDictionary.cs
index 0f7ceec371..911a643d03 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Abstractions/ModelBinding/ModelStateDictionary.cs
+++ b/src/Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Abstractions/ModelBinding/ModelStateDictionary.cs
@@ -633,7 +633,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.ModelBinding
             HasRecordedMaxModelError = false;
             ErrorCount = 0;
             _root.Reset();
-            _root.ChildNodes.Clear();
+            _root.ChildNodes?.Clear();
         }
 
         /// <inheritdoc />
diff --git a/test/Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Abstractions.Test/ModelBinding/ModelStateDictionaryTest.cs b/test/Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Abstractions.Test/ModelBinding/ModelStateDictionaryTest.cs
index 26256a07ae..231f444240 100644
--- a/test/Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Abstractions.Test/ModelBinding/ModelStateDictionaryTest.cs
+++ b/test/Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Abstractions.Test/ModelBinding/ModelStateDictionaryTest.cs
@@ -125,6 +125,22 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.ModelBinding
             Assert.Equal(ModelValidationState.Valid, dictionary.ValidationState);
         }
 
+        [Fact]
+        public void Clear_RemovesAllEntries_IfDictionaryIsEmpty()
+        {
+            // Arrange
+            var dictionary = new ModelStateDictionary();
+
+            // Act
+            dictionary.Clear();
+
+            // Assert
+            Assert.Equal(0, dictionary.Count);
+            Assert.Equal(0, dictionary.ErrorCount);
+            Assert.Empty(dictionary);
+            Assert.Equal(ModelValidationState.Valid, dictionary.ValidationState);
+        }
+
         [Fact]
         public void MarkFieldSkipped_MarksFieldAsSkipped_IfStateIsUnvalidated()
         {