diff --git a/tensorflow_probability/python/distributions/joint_distribution_util.py b/tensorflow_probability/python/distributions/joint_distribution_util.py
index 2a60ceb696..a6c3e427e8 100644
--- a/tensorflow_probability/python/distributions/joint_distribution_util.py
+++ b/tensorflow_probability/python/distributions/joint_distribution_util.py
@@ -79,6 +79,10 @@ def independent_joint_distribution_from_structure(structure_of_distributions,
     next_level_shallow_structure = nest.get_traverse_shallow_structure(
         traverse_fn=lambda x: min(tf.nest.flatten(x)) <= 1,
         structure=element_depths)
+    if not nest.is_nested(next_level_shallow_structure):  # is a boolean
+      next_level_shallow_structure = nest.get_traverse_shallow_structure(
+          traverse_fn=lambda x: x is element_depths,
+          structure=element_depths)
     structure_of_distributions = nest.map_structure_up_to(
         next_level_shallow_structure,
         functools.partial(independent_joint_distribution_from_structure,
diff --git a/tensorflow_probability/python/distributions/joint_distribution_util_test.py b/tensorflow_probability/python/distributions/joint_distribution_util_test.py
index 0eb32ec3cf..4917eafc1d 100644
--- a/tensorflow_probability/python/distributions/joint_distribution_util_test.py
+++ b/tensorflow_probability/python/distributions/joint_distribution_util_test.py
@@ -83,6 +83,12 @@ def test_independent_jd_from_nested_input(self):
                     'c': (dirichlet.Dirichlet([1., 1.]),)}],
         expect_isinstance=jds.JointDistributionSequential)
 
+  def test_independent_jd_from_nested_input_one_empty(self):
+    self._test_independent_joint_distribution_from_structure_helper(
+        structure={'a': {'b': normal.Normal(0., 1.)},
+                   'c': {'d': normal.Normal(0., 1.)}},
+        expect_isinstance=jdn.JointDistributionNamed)
+
   def test_batch_ndims_nested_input(self):
     dist = jdu.independent_joint_distribution_from_structure(
         [normal.Normal(0., tf.ones([5, 4])),