diff --git a/docs/changelog.rst b/docs/changelog.rst
index 830c0192..a4a7fa9e 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.rst
+++ b/docs/changelog.rst
@@ -5,7 +5,11 @@ Changelog
 Changes in dev
 ==============
 
+<<<<<<< HEAD
 - Added spec file for rpm-based distributions
+=======
+- Updated ComplexFields so if required they won't accept empty lists / dicts
+>>>>>>> listfield
 - Fixed ListField so it doesnt accept strings
 - Added DynamicDocument and EmbeddedDynamicDocument classes for expando schemas
 
diff --git a/mongoengine/base.py b/mongoengine/base.py
index 40953f17..adf5eee9 100644
--- a/mongoengine/base.py
+++ b/mongoengine/base.py
@@ -282,6 +282,11 @@ class ComplexBaseField(BaseField):
                 raise ValidationError('Invalid %s item (%s)' % (
                         self.field.__class__.__name__, str(v)))
 
+        # Don't allow empty values if required
+        if self.required and not value:
+            raise ValidationError('Field "%s" is required and cannot be empty' %
+                                  self.name)
+
     def prepare_query_value(self, op, value):
         return self.to_mongo(value)
 
diff --git a/mongoengine/fields.py b/mongoengine/fields.py
index 705bf3ae..e75890f7 100644
--- a/mongoengine/fields.py
+++ b/mongoengine/fields.py
@@ -459,6 +459,9 @@ class GenericEmbeddedDocumentField(BaseField):
 class ListField(ComplexBaseField):
     """A list field that wraps a standard field, allowing multiple instances
     of the field to be used as a list in the database.
+
+    .. note::
+        Required means it cannot be empty - as the default for ListFields is []
     """
 
     # ListFields cannot be indexed with _types - MongoDB doesn't support this
@@ -513,6 +516,9 @@ class DictField(ComplexBaseField):
     """A dictionary field that wraps a standard Python dictionary. This is
     similar to an embedded document, but the structure is not defined.
 
+    .. note::
+        Required means it cannot be empty - as the default for ListFields is []
+
     .. versionadded:: 0.3
     .. versionchanged:: 0.5 - Can now handle complex / varying types of data
     """
diff --git a/tests/fields.py b/tests/fields.py
index fd993167..b1825026 100644
--- a/tests/fields.py
+++ b/tests/fields.py
@@ -485,7 +485,6 @@ class FieldTest(unittest.TestCase):
         post.info = [{'test': 3}]
         post.save()
 
-
         self.assertEquals(BlogPost.objects.count(), 3)
         self.assertEquals(BlogPost.objects.filter(info__exact='test').count(), 1)
         self.assertEquals(BlogPost.objects.filter(info__0__test='test').count(), 1)
@@ -515,7 +514,6 @@ class FieldTest(unittest.TestCase):
 
         Simple.drop_collection()
 
-
     def test_list_field_rejects_strings(self):
         """Strings aren't valid list field data types"""
 
@@ -528,6 +526,26 @@ class FieldTest(unittest.TestCase):
 
         self.assertRaises(ValidationError, e.save)
 
+    def test_complex_field_required(self):
+        """Ensure required cant be None / Empty"""
+
+        class Simple(Document):
+            mapping = ListField(required=True)
+
+        Simple.drop_collection()
+        e = Simple()
+        e.mapping = []
+
+        self.assertRaises(ValidationError, e.save)
+
+        class Simple(Document):
+            mapping = DictField(required=True)
+
+        Simple.drop_collection()
+        e = Simple()
+        e.mapping = {}
+
+        self.assertRaises(ValidationError, e.save)
 
     def test_list_field_complex(self):
         """Ensure that the list fields can handle the complex types."""