diff --git a/e2e/grpc-example/__snapshots__/grpc-example.test.ts.snap b/e2e/grpc-example/__snapshots__/grpc-example.test.ts.snap
index 5d93b7e5e40b9..b572da7646051 100644
--- a/e2e/grpc-example/__snapshots__/grpc-example.test.ts.snap
+++ b/e2e/grpc-example/__snapshots__/grpc-example.test.ts.snap
@@ -313,6 +313,16 @@ input SearchByCastRequest_Input @join__type(graph: MOVIES)  {
 "
 `;
 
+exports[`gRPC Example gets empty movies correctly: get-empty-movies-grpc-example-result 1`] = `
+{
+  "data": {
+    "exampleGetMovies": {
+      "result": [],
+    },
+  },
+}
+`;
+
 exports[`gRPC Example gets movies correctly: get-movies-grpc-example-result 1`] = `
 {
   "data": {
diff --git a/e2e/grpc-example/grpc-example.test.ts b/e2e/grpc-example/grpc-example.test.ts
index 1dbc46dbe9593..8eee891c1662a 100644
--- a/e2e/grpc-example/grpc-example.test.ts
+++ b/e2e/grpc-example/grpc-example.test.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,29 @@ describe('gRPC Example', () => {
     const { result } = await compose({ services: [movies], maskServicePorts: true });
     expect(result).toMatchSnapshot();
   });
+  it('gets empty movies correctly', async () => {
+    const { output } = await compose({ services: [movies], output: 'graphql' });
+    const { execute } = await serve({ supergraph: output });
+    // Genre HORROR does not exist in mock data
+    const query = /* GraphQL */ `
+      query GetMovies {
+        exampleGetMovies(input: { movie: { genre: HORROR, year: 2015 } }) {
+          result {
+            name
+            year
+            rating
+            cast
+            time {
+              seconds
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    `;
+    await expect(execute({ query })).resolves.toMatchSnapshot(
+      'get-empty-movies-grpc-example-result',
+    );
+  });
   it('gets movies correctly', async () => {
     const { output } = await compose({ services: [movies], output: 'graphql' });
     const { execute } = await serve({ supergraph: output });
diff --git a/e2e/grpc-example/mesh.config.ts b/e2e/grpc-example/mesh.config.ts
index 738369d57ecb3..4f6413762f3a4 100644
--- a/e2e/grpc-example/mesh.config.ts
+++ b/e2e/grpc-example/mesh.config.ts
@@ -17,7 +17,12 @@ export const composeConfig = defineComposeConfig({
           someKey: 'someValue',
           connection_type: '{context.headers.connection}',
         },
-        source: './services/movies/proto/service.proto',
+        source: {
+          file: './services/movies/proto/service.proto',
+          load: {
+            defaults: true,
+          },
+        },
       }),
       transforms: [
         createNamingConventionTransform({