diff --git a/azurerm/internal/services/apimanagement/resource_arm_api_management_api_operation.go b/azurerm/internal/services/apimanagement/resource_arm_api_management_api_operation.go
index da9c713c8d58..e4fd0bfb2808 100644
--- a/azurerm/internal/services/apimanagement/resource_arm_api_management_api_operation.go
+++ b/azurerm/internal/services/apimanagement/resource_arm_api_management_api_operation.go
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ func resourceArmApiManagementApiOperationDelete(d *schema.ResourceData, meta int
 }
 
 func expandApiManagementOperationRequestContract(input []interface{}) (*apimanagement.RequestContract, error) {
-	if len(input) == 0 {
+	if len(input) == 0 || input[0] == nil {
 		return nil, nil
 	}