diff --git a/addons/web/static/src/js/views/graph/graph_model.js b/addons/web/static/src/js/views/graph/graph_model.js
index 8679fafe4ff..b1bcddb47c2 100644
--- a/addons/web/static/src/js/views/graph/graph_model.js
+++ b/addons/web/static/src/js/views/graph/graph_model.js
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ return AbstractModel.extend({
      * @returns {Object}
      */
     __get: function () {
-        return _.extend({}, this.chart);
+        return Object.assign({ isSample: this.isSampleModel }, this.chart);
     },
     /**
      * Initial loading.
@@ -165,7 +165,12 @@ return AbstractModel.extend({
             this.chart.comparisonFieldIndex = -1;
         }
     },
-
+    /**
+     * @override
+     */
+    _isEmpty() {
+        return this.chart.dataPoints.length === 0;
+    },
     /**
      * Fetch and process graph data.  It is basically a(some) read_group(s)
      * with correct fields for each domain.  We have to do some light processing
diff --git a/addons/web/static/src/js/views/graph/graph_renderer.js b/addons/web/static/src/js/views/graph/graph_renderer.js
index 52608e7b9cd..5cbe3f75324 100644
--- a/addons/web/static/src/js/views/graph/graph_renderer.js
+++ b/addons/web/static/src/js/views/graph/graph_renderer.js
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ var MAX_LEGEND_LENGTH = 4 * (Math.max(1, config.device.size_class));
 
 return AbstractRenderer.extend({
     className: "o_graph_renderer",
+    sampleDataTargets: ['.o_graph_canvas_container'],
     /**
      * @override
      * @param {Widget} parent
@@ -762,9 +763,30 @@ return AbstractRenderer.extend({
         }
         var dataPoints = this._filterDataPoints();
         dataPoints = this._sortDataPoints(dataPoints);
-        if (!dataPoints.length && this.state.mode !== 'pie') {
-            this.$el.append(qweb.render('View.NoContentHelper'));
-        } else if (this.isInDOM) {
+        if (this.isInDOM) {
+            this._renderTitle();
+
+            // detect if some pathologies are still present after the filtering
+            if (this.state.mode === 'pie') {
+                const someNegative = dataPoints.some(dataPt => dataPt.value < 0);
+                const somePositive = dataPoints.some(dataPt => dataPt.value > 0);
+                if (someNegative && somePositive) {
+                    const context = {
+                        title: _t("Invalid data"),
+                        description: [
+                            _t("Pie chart cannot mix positive and negative numbers. "),
+                            _t("Try to change your domain to only display positive results")
+                        ].join("")
+                    };
+                    this._renderNoContentHelper(context);
+                    return;
+                }
+            }
+
+            if (this.state.isSample && !this.isEmbedded) {
+                this._renderNoContentHelper();
+            }
+
             // only render the graph if the widget is already in the DOM (this
             // happens typically after an update), otherwise, it will be
             // rendered when the widget will be attached to the DOM (see
@@ -785,8 +807,6 @@ return AbstractRenderer.extend({
             } else if (this.state.mode === 'pie') {
                 this._renderPieChart(dataPoints);
             }
-
-            this._renderTitle();
         }
     },
     /**
@@ -875,6 +895,25 @@ return AbstractRenderer.extend({
             options: options,
         });
     },
+    /**
+     * @private
+     */
+    _renderNoContentHelper: function (context) {
+        let templateName;
+        if (!context && this.noContentHelp) {
+            templateName = "web.ActionHelper";
+            context = { noContentHelp: this.noContentHelp };
+        } else {
+            templateName = "web.NoContentHelper";
+        }
+        const template = document.createElement('template');
+        // FIXME: retrieve owl qweb instance via the env set on Component s.t.
+        // it also works in the tests (importing 'web.env' wouldn't). This won't
+        // be necessary as soon as this rendering will be written in owl.
+        const OwlQweb = owl.Component.env.qweb;
+        template.innerHTML = OwlQweb.renderToString(templateName, context);
+        this.el.append(template.content.firstChild);
+    },
     /**
      * create pie chart
      *
@@ -883,38 +922,10 @@ return AbstractRenderer.extend({
      */
     _renderPieChart: function (dataPoints) {
         var self = this;
-
-        // try to see if some pathologies are still present after the filtering
-        var allNegative = true;
-        var someNegative = false;
-        var allZero = true;
-        dataPoints.forEach(function (datapt) {
-            allNegative = allNegative && (datapt.value < 0);
-            someNegative = someNegative || (datapt.value < 0);
-            allZero = allZero && (datapt.value === 0);
-        });
-        if (someNegative && !allNegative) {
-            this.$el.empty();
-            this.$el.append(qweb.render('View.NoContentHelper', {
-                title: _t("Invalid data"),
-                description: _t("Pie chart cannot mix positive and negative numbers. " +
-                    "Try to change your domain to only display positive results"),
-            }));
-            return;
-        }
-        if (allZero && !this.isEmbedded && this.state.origins.length === 1) {
-            this.$el.empty();
-            this.$el.append(qweb.render('View.NoContentHelper', {
-                title: _t("Invalid data"),
-                description: _t("Pie chart cannot display all zero numbers.. " +
-                    "Try to change your domain to display positive results"),
-            }));
-            return;
-        }
-
         // prepare data
         var data = {};
         var colors = [];
+        const allZero = dataPoints.every(dataPt => dataPt.value === 0);
         if (allZero) {
             // add fake data to display a pie chart with a grey zone associated
             // with every origin
diff --git a/addons/web/static/src/xml/base.xml b/addons/web/static/src/xml/base.xml
index 12eff26e6ac..27cc0fdc4f9 100644
--- a/addons/web/static/src/xml/base.xml
+++ b/addons/web/static/src/xml/base.xml
@@ -803,17 +803,9 @@
     </div>
 </div>
 
-<div t-name="View.NoContentHelper" class="o_view_nocontent" role="alert">
+<div t-name="web.ActionHelper" class="o_view_nocontent" owl="1">
     <div class="o_nocontent_help">
-        <p class="o_view_nocontent_empty_folder">
-            <t t-if="title" t-esc="title"/>
-            <t t-else="1">No data to display</t>
-        </p>
-        <p>
-            <t t-if="description" t-esc="description"/>
-            <t t-else="1">Try to add some records, or make sure that there is no
-                active filter in the search bar.</t>
-        </p>
+        <t t-raw="noContentHelp"/>
     </div>
 </div>
 
diff --git a/addons/web/static/tests/views/graph_tests.js b/addons/web/static/tests/views/graph_tests.js
index 68c28952877..253c98d706a 100644
--- a/addons/web/static/tests/views/graph_tests.js
+++ b/addons/web/static/tests/views/graph_tests.js
@@ -338,43 +338,53 @@ QUnit.module('Views', {
     });
 
     QUnit.test('no content helper (bar chart)', async function (assert) {
-        assert.expect(2);
+        assert.expect(3);
         this.data.foo.records = [];
 
         var graph = await createView({
             View: GraphView,
             model: "foo",
             data: this.data,
-            arch: '<graph string="Gloups">' +
-                        '<field name="product_id"/>' +
-                '</graph>',
+            arch: `
+                <graph string="Gloups">
+                    <field name="product_id"/>
+                </graph>`,
+            viewOptions: {
+                action: {
+                    help: '<p class="abc">This helper should not be displayed in graph views</p>'
+                }
+            },
         });
 
-        assert.containsNone(graph, 'div.o_graph_canvas_container canvas',
-                    "should not contain a div with a canvas element");
-        assert.containsOnce(graph, 'div.o_view_nocontent',
-            "should display the no content helper");
+        assert.containsOnce(graph, 'div.o_graph_canvas_container canvas');
+        assert.containsNone(graph, 'div.o_view_nocontent');
+        assert.containsNone(graph, '.abc');
 
         graph.destroy();
     });
 
     QUnit.test('no content helper (pie chart)', async function (assert) {
-        assert.expect(2);
+        assert.expect(3);
         this.data.foo.records =  [];
 
         var graph = await createView({
             View: GraphView,
             model: "foo",
             data: this.data,
-            arch: '<graph type="pie">' +
-                        '<field name="product_id"/>' +
-                '</graph>',
+            arch: `
+                <graph type="pie">
+                    <field name="product_id"/>
+                </graph>`,
+            viewOptions: {
+                action: {
+                    help: '<p class="abc">This helper should not be displayed in graph views</p>'
+                }
+            },
         });
 
-        assert.containsNone(graph, 'div.o_graph_canvas_container canvas',
-            "should not contain a div with a canvas element");
-        assert.containsOnce(graph, 'div.o_view_nocontent',
-            "should display the no content helper");
+        assert.containsOnce(graph, 'div.o_graph_canvas_container canvas');
+        assert.containsNone(graph, 'div.o_view_nocontent');
+        assert.containsNone(graph, '.abc');
 
         graph.destroy();
     });
@@ -413,27 +423,33 @@ QUnit.module('Views', {
     });
 
     QUnit.test('no content helper after update', async function (assert) {
-        assert.expect(4);
+        assert.expect(6);
 
         var graph = await createView({
             View: GraphView,
             model: "foo",
             data: this.data,
-            arch: '<graph string="Gloups">' +
-                        '<field name="product_id"/>' +
-                '</graph>',
+            arch: `
+                <graph string="Gloups">
+                    <field name="product_id"/>
+                </graph>`,
+            viewOptions: {
+                action: {
+                    help: '<p class="abc">This helper should not be displayed in graph views</p>'
+                }
+            },
         });
 
-        assert.containsOnce(graph, 'div.o_graph_canvas_container canvas',
-                    "should contain a div with a canvas element");
-        assert.containsNone(graph, 'div.o_view_nocontent',
-            "should not display the no content helper");
+        assert.containsOnce(graph, 'div.o_graph_canvas_container canvas');
+        assert.containsNone(graph, 'div.o_view_nocontent');
+        assert.containsNone(graph, '.abc');
+
+        await testUtils.graph.reload(graph, {domain: [['product_id', '<', 0]]});
+
+        assert.containsOnce(graph, 'div.o_graph_canvas_container canvas');
+        assert.containsNone(graph, 'div.o_view_nocontent');
+        assert.containsNone(graph, '.abc');
 
-        await testUtils.graph.reload(graph, {domain: [['product_id', '=', 4]]});
-        assert.containsNone(graph, 'div.o_graph_canvas_container canvas',
-                    "should not contain a div with a canvas element");
-        assert.containsOnce(graph, 'div.o_view_nocontent',
-            "should display the no content helper");
         graph.destroy();
     });
 
@@ -1259,7 +1275,6 @@ QUnit.module('Views', {
         assert.checkDatasets(graph, 'data', { data: [4, 3, 1] });
 
         graph.destroy();
-
     });
 
     QUnit.test('graph view sort by measure for grouped data', async function (assert) {
@@ -1301,7 +1316,6 @@ QUnit.module('Views', {
         assert.checkDatasets(graph, 'data', [{ data: [3, 0, 0] }, { data: [1, 3, 1] }]);
 
         graph.destroy();
-
     });
 
     QUnit.test('graph view sort by measure for multiple grouped data', async function (assert) {
@@ -1356,6 +1370,75 @@ QUnit.module('Views', {
         graph.destroy();
     });
 
+    QUnit.test('empty graph view with sample data', async function (assert) {
+        assert.expect(8);
+
+        const graph = await createView({
+            View: GraphView,
+            model: "foo",
+            data: this.data,
+            arch: `
+                <graph sample="1">
+                    <field name="product_id"/>
+                    <field name="date"/>
+                </graph>`,
+            domain: [['id', '<', 0]],
+            viewOptions: {
+                action: {
+                    help: '<p class="abc">click to add a foo</p>'
+                }
+            },
+        });
+
+        assert.hasClass(graph.el, 'o_view_sample_data');
+        assert.containsOnce(graph, '.o_view_nocontent');
+        assert.containsOnce(graph, '.o_graph_canvas_container canvas');
+        assert.hasClass(graph.$('.o_graph_canvas_container'), 'o_sample_data_disabled');
+
+        await graph.reload({ domain: [] });
+
+        assert.doesNotHaveClass(graph.el, 'o_view_sample_data');
+        assert.containsNone(graph, '.o_view_nocontent');
+        assert.containsOnce(graph, '.o_graph_canvas_container canvas');
+        assert.doesNotHaveClass(graph.$('.o_graph_canvas_container'), 'o_sample_data_disabled');
+
+        graph.destroy();
+    });
+
+    QUnit.test('non empty graph view with sample data', async function (assert) {
+        assert.expect(8);
+
+        const graph = await createView({
+            View: GraphView,
+            model: "foo",
+            data: this.data,
+            arch: `
+                <graph sample="1">
+                    <field name="product_id"/>
+                    <field name="date"/>
+                </graph>`,
+            viewOptions: {
+                action: {
+                    help: '<p class="abc">click to add a foo</p>'
+                }
+            },
+        })
+
+        assert.doesNotHaveClass(graph.el, 'o_view_sample_data');
+        assert.containsNone(graph, '.o_view_nocontent');
+        assert.containsOnce(graph, '.o_graph_canvas_container canvas');
+        assert.doesNotHaveClass(graph.$('.o_graph_canvas_container'), 'o_sample_data_disabled');
+
+        await graph.reload({ domain: [['id', '<', 0]] });
+
+        assert.doesNotHaveClass(graph.el, 'o_view_sample_data');
+        assert.containsOnce(graph, '.o_graph_canvas_container canvas');
+        assert.doesNotHaveClass(graph.$('.o_graph_canvas_container'), 'o_sample_data_disabled');
+        assert.containsNone(graph, '.o_view_nocontent');
+
+        graph.destroy();
+    });
+
     QUnit.module('GraphView: comparison mode', {
         beforeEach: async function () {
             this.data.foo.records[0].date = '2016-12-15';
diff --git a/odoo/addons/base/rng/graph_view.rng b/odoo/addons/base/rng/graph_view.rng
index 32639b30d9c..47f547f0c13 100644
--- a/odoo/addons/base/rng/graph_view.rng
+++ b/odoo/addons/base/rng/graph_view.rng
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
             <rng:optional><rng:attribute name="orientation"/></rng:optional>
             <rng:optional><rng:attribute name="interval"/></rng:optional>
             <rng:optional><rng:attribute name="disable_linking"/></rng:optional>
+            <rng:optional><rng:attribute name="sample"/></rng:optional>
             <rng:zeroOrMore>
                 <rng:ref name="field"/>
             </rng:zeroOrMore>