diff --git a/modules/backend/formwidgets/Repeater.php b/modules/backend/formwidgets/Repeater.php
index a8b7d7e21..21eef54c0 100644
--- a/modules/backend/formwidgets/Repeater.php
+++ b/modules/backend/formwidgets/Repeater.php
@@ -77,6 +77,13 @@ class Repeater extends FormWidgetBase
 
     protected $groupDefinitions = [];
 
+    /**
+     * Determines if repeater has been initialised previously
+     *
+     * @var boolean
+     */
+    protected $loaded = false;
+
     /**
      * @inheritDoc
      */
@@ -95,6 +102,11 @@ class Repeater extends FormWidgetBase
             $this->previewMode = true;
         }
 
+        // Check for loaded flag in POST
+        if ((bool) post($this->alias . '_loaded') === true) {
+            $this->loaded = true;
+        }
+
         $fieldName = $this->formField->getName(false);
 
         $this->processGroupMode();
@@ -197,8 +209,17 @@ class Repeater extends FormWidgetBase
      */
     protected function processItems()
     {
+        $currentValue = ($this->loaded === true)
+            ? post($this->formField->getName())
+            : $this->getLoadValue();
+
+        if ($currentValue === null) {
+            $this->indexCount = 0;
+            $this->formWidgets = [];
+            return;
+        }
+
         $groupMap = [];
-        $currentValue = post($this->formField->getName(), $this->getLoadValue());
 
         // Ensure that the minimum number of items are preinitialized
         // ONLY DONE WHEN NOT IN GROUP MODE
@@ -269,7 +290,10 @@ class Repeater extends FormWidgetBase
      */
     protected function getValueFromIndex($index)
     {
-        $value = post($this->formField->fieldName, $this->getLoadValue());
+        $value = ($this->loaded === true)
+            ? post($this->formField->getName())
+            : $this->getLoadValue();
+
         if (!is_array($value)) {
             $value = [];
         }
@@ -291,7 +315,7 @@ class Repeater extends FormWidgetBase
         $this->vars['widget'] = $this->makeItemFormWidget($this->indexCount, $groupCode);
         $this->vars['indexValue'] = $this->indexCount;
 
-        $itemContainer = '@#'.$this->getId('items');
+        $itemContainer = '@#' . $this->getId('items');
 
         // Increase index count after item is created
         ++$this->indexCount;
diff --git a/modules/backend/formwidgets/repeater/partials/_repeater.htm b/modules/backend/formwidgets/repeater/partials/_repeater.htm
index 995c42cd8..d5198b6de 100644
--- a/modules/backend/formwidgets/repeater/partials/_repeater.htm
+++ b/modules/backend/formwidgets/repeater/partials/_repeater.htm
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@
                 </a>
             <?php endif ?>
         </div>
+
+        <input type="hidden" name="<?= $this->alias; ?>_loaded" value="1">
     <?php endif ?>
 
     <script type="text/template" data-group-palette-template>