diff --git a/addons/web/static/src/js/views/pivot/pivot_model.js b/addons/web/static/src/js/views/pivot/pivot_model.js
index 1e669824ec8..7c4ddff9d22 100644
--- a/addons/web/static/src/js/views/pivot/pivot_model.js
+++ b/addons/web/static/src/js/views/pivot/pivot_model.js
@@ -274,12 +274,10 @@ var PivotModel = AbstractModel.extend({
                 // if we don't have the key 'groupBy' in params.  In that case,
                 // we want to have the full open state for the groupbys.
                 self._updateTree(old_row.root, self.data.main_row.root);
-                self._updateMainGroupBys(old_row, self.data.main_row);
             }
 
             if (!('pivot_column_groupby' in (params.context || {}))) {
                 self._updateTree(old_col.root, self.data.main_col.root);
-                self._updateMainGroupBys(old_col, self.data.main_col);
             }
         });
     },
@@ -711,19 +709,6 @@ var PivotModel = AbstractModel.extend({
             this._traverseTree(root.children[i], f, arg1, arg2, arg3);
         }
     },
-    /**
-     * Updates the groupBys that the main[row | col] holds
-     *
-     * @private
-     * @param {Object} old: The main abstract header before reload
-     * @param {Object} main: The main abstract header after reload
-     *
-     */
-    _updateMainGroupBys: function (old, main) {
-        var new_groupby_length = this._getHeaderDepth(main.root) - 1;
-        main.root.groupbys = old.root.groupbys;
-        main.root.groupbys.splice(new_groupby_length);
-    },
     /**
      * @param {Object} old_tree
      * @param {Object} new_tree
diff --git a/addons/web/static/tests/views/pivot_tests.js b/addons/web/static/tests/views/pivot_tests.js
index 1eb9fa94e30..dbe4395f2b1 100644
--- a/addons/web/static/tests/views/pivot_tests.js
+++ b/addons/web/static/tests/views/pivot_tests.js
@@ -1030,6 +1030,41 @@ QUnit.module('Views', {
         pivot.destroy();
     });
 
+    QUnit.test('Empty results keep groupbys', function (assert) {
+        assert.expect(2);
+
+        var pivot = createView({
+            View: PivotView,
+            model: "partner",
+            data: this.data,
+            arch: '<pivot/>',
+        });
+
+        // Set a column groupby
+        pivot.$('thead .o_pivot_header_cell_closed').click();
+        pivot.$('.o_field_selection li[data-field=customer] a').click();
+
+        // Set a domain for empty results
+        pivot.update({domain: [['id', '=', false]]});
+
+        var expectedContext = {pivot_column_groupby: undefined,
+                               pivot_measures: undefined,
+                               pivot_row_groupby: undefined};
+        assert.deepEqual(pivot.getContext(), expectedContext,
+            'Column groupby not lost after empty results');
+
+        // Set a domain for not empty results
+        pivot.update({domain: [['product_id', '=', 37]]});
+
+        var expectedContext = {pivot_column_groupby: ['customer'],
+                               pivot_measures: ['__count'],
+                               pivot_row_groupby: []};
+        assert.deepEqual(pivot.getContext(), expectedContext,
+            'Column groupby not lost after reload after empty results');
+
+        pivot.destroy();
+    });
+
     QUnit.test('correctly uses pivot_ keys from the context', function (assert) {
         assert.expect(7);