diff --git a/lib/active_hash/base.rb b/lib/active_hash/base.rb
index b326fd1c..1b7bed91 100644
--- a/lib/active_hash/base.rb
+++ b/lib/active_hash/base.rb
@@ -116,9 +116,7 @@ def data
       end
 
       def data=(array_of_hashes)
-        mark_dirty
-        @records = nil
-        reset_record_index
+        delete_all
         self._data = array_of_hashes
         if array_of_hashes
           auto_assign_fields(array_of_hashes)
@@ -135,13 +133,12 @@ def exists?(record)
       end
 
       def insert(record)
-        @records ||= []
         record[:id] ||= next_id
         validate_unique_id(record) if dirty
         mark_dirty
 
-        add_to_record_index({ record.id.to_s => @records.length })
-        @records << record
+        add_to_record_index({ record.id.to_s => records.length })
+        records << record
       end
 
       def next_id
@@ -153,6 +150,12 @@ def next_id
         end
       end
 
+      def records
+        @records ||= []
+      end
+
+      private :records
+
       def record_index
         @record_index ||= {}
       end
@@ -193,7 +196,7 @@ def create!(attributes = {})
       end
 
       def all(options = {})
-        ActiveHash::Relation.new(self, @records || [], options[:conditions] || {})
+        ActiveHash::Relation.new(self, records, options[:conditions] || {})
       end
 
       delegate :where, :find, :find_by, :find_by!, :find_by_id, :count, :pluck, :pick, :first, :last, :order, to: :all
@@ -211,7 +214,7 @@ def transaction
       def delete_all
         mark_dirty
         reset_record_index
-        @records = []
+        records.clear
       end
 
       def fields(*args)
diff --git a/lib/enum/enum.rb b/lib/enum/enum.rb
index c331f389..4001f026 100644
--- a/lib/enum/enum.rb
+++ b/lib/enum/enum.rb
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ def insert(record)
 
       def delete_all
         if @enum_accessors.present?
-          @records.each do |record|
+          records.each do |record|
             constant = constant_for(record, @enum_accessors)
             remove_const(constant) if const_defined?(constant, false)
           end
diff --git a/spec/active_json/base_spec.rb b/spec/active_json/base_spec.rb
index 236ba66b..4c5ace25 100644
--- a/spec/active_json/base_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/active_json/base_spec.rb
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ class Empty < ActiveJSON::Base ; end # Empty JSON
        expect(State.first.name).to match(/^New York/)
     end
 
-    it 'can load empty yaml' do
+    it 'can load empty JSON' do
       expect(Empty.first).to be_nil
     end
   end
@@ -46,6 +46,12 @@ class Empty < ActiveJSON::Base ; end # Empty JSON
     end
   end
 
+  describe ".create" do
+    it "does not fail when the loaded JSON was empty" do
+      Empty.create()
+    end
+  end
+
   describe ".delete_all" do
     context "when called before .all" do
       it "causes all to not load data" do