diff --git a/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/rm.rs b/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/rm.rs
index 9ea7741112..77b8bd17bf 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/rm.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/rm.rs
@@ -332,8 +332,8 @@ fn remove_ignores_ansi() {
 
         let actual = nu!(
             cwd: sandbox.cwd(),
-            "ls | find test | get name | rm $in.0; ls",
+            "ls | find test | get name | rm $in.0; ls | is-empty",
         );
-        assert!(actual.out.is_empty());
+        assert_eq!(actual.out, "true");
     });
 }
diff --git a/crates/nu-protocol/src/config.rs b/crates/nu-protocol/src/config.rs
index 297f4df65c..7115ec7cf2 100644
--- a/crates/nu-protocol/src/config.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-protocol/src/config.rs
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ impl Default for Config {
         Config {
             filesize_metric: false,
             table_mode: "rounded".into(),
-            table_show_empty: false,
+            table_show_empty: true,
             external_completer: None,
             use_ls_colors: true,
             color_config: HashMap::new(),
diff --git a/crates/nu-utils/src/sample_config/default_config.nu b/crates/nu-utils/src/sample_config/default_config.nu
index 575c6395a6..56baec611b 100644
--- a/crates/nu-utils/src/sample_config/default_config.nu
+++ b/crates/nu-utils/src/sample_config/default_config.nu
@@ -187,6 +187,7 @@ let-env config = {
   table: {
     mode: rounded # basic, compact, compact_double, light, thin, with_love, rounded, reinforced, heavy, none, other
     index_mode: always # "always" show indexes, "never" show indexes, "auto" = show indexes when a table has "index" column
+    show_empty: true # show 'empty list' and 'empty record' placeholders for command output
     trim: {
       methodology: wrapping # wrapping or truncating
       wrapping_try_keep_words: true # A strategy used by the 'wrapping' methodology