diff --git a/src/database/firebase_list_factory.spec.ts b/src/database/firebase_list_factory.spec.ts
index 5fda83fc3..e67bbd7f7 100644
--- a/src/database/firebase_list_factory.spec.ts
+++ b/src/database/firebase_list_factory.spec.ts
@@ -477,6 +477,63 @@ describe('FirebaseListFactory', () => {
     });
 
 
+    it('should support null for equalTo queries', (done: any) => {
+
+      questions.$ref.ref.set({
+        val1,
+        val2: Object.assign({}, val2, { extra: true }),
+        val3: Object.assign({}, val3, { extra: true }),
+      })
+      .then(() => {
+
+        var query = FirebaseListFactory(questions.$ref.ref, {
+          query: {
+            orderByChild: "extra",
+            equalTo: null
+          }
+        });
+
+        take.call(query, 1).subscribe(
+          (list) => {
+            expect(list.length).toEqual(1);
+            expect(list[0].$key).toEqual("val1");
+            done();
+          },
+          done.fail
+        );
+      });
+    });
+
+
+    it('should support null for startAt/endAt queries', (done: any) => {
+
+      questions.$ref.ref.set({
+        val1,
+        val2: Object.assign({}, val2, { extra: true }),
+        val3: Object.assign({}, val3, { extra: true }),
+      })
+      .then(() => {
+
+        var query = FirebaseListFactory(questions.$ref.ref, {
+          query: {
+            orderByChild: "extra",
+            startAt: null,
+            endAt: null
+          }
+        });
+
+        take.call(query, 1).subscribe(
+          (list) => {
+            expect(list.length).toEqual(1);
+            expect(list[0].$key).toEqual("val1");
+            done();
+          },
+          done.fail
+        );
+      });
+    });
+
+
     it('should call off on all events when disposed', (done: any) => {
       const questionRef = firebase.database().ref().child('questions');
       var firebaseSpy = spyOn(questionRef, 'off').and.callThrough();
diff --git a/src/database/query_observable.spec.ts b/src/database/query_observable.spec.ts
index 6859633df..328d9cd38 100644
--- a/src/database/query_observable.spec.ts
+++ b/src/database/query_observable.spec.ts
@@ -431,6 +431,55 @@ describe('query combinations', () => {
 });
 
 
+describe('null values', () => {
+
+  it('should build an equalTo() query with a null scalar value', (done: any) => {
+    scalarQueryTest({
+      orderByChild: 'height',
+      equalTo: null
+    }, done);
+  });
+
+  it('should build a startAt() query with a null scalar value', (done: any) => {
+    scalarQueryTest({
+      orderByChild: 'height',
+      startAt: null
+    }, done);
+  });
+
+  it('should build an endAt() query with a null scalar value', (done: any) => {
+    scalarQueryTest({
+      orderByChild: 'height',
+      endAt: null
+    }, done);
+  });
+
+  it('should build an equalTo() query with a null observable value', (done: any) => {
+    const query = {
+      orderByChild: 'height',
+      equalTo: new Subject()
+    };
+    observableQueryTest(query, { equalTo: null }, done);
+  });
+
+  it('should build a startAt() query with a null observable value', (done: any) => {
+    const query = {
+      orderByChild: 'height',
+      startAt: new Subject()
+    };
+    observableQueryTest(query, { startAt: null }, done);
+  });
+
+  it('should build an endAt() query with a null observable value', (done: any) => {
+    const query = {
+      orderByChild: 'height',
+      endAt: new Subject()
+    };
+    observableQueryTest(query, { endAt: null }, done);
+  });
+
+});
+
 describe('audited queries', () => {
 
   it('should immediately emit if not audited', () => {
diff --git a/src/database/query_observable.ts b/src/database/query_observable.ts
index 71b4e0108..2c542598f 100644
--- a/src/database/query_observable.ts
+++ b/src/database/query_observable.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ import {
   LimitToSelection,
   Primitive
 } from '../interfaces';
-import { isNil } from '../utils';
+import { hasKey, isNil } from '../utils';
 
 export function observeQuery(query: Query, audit: boolean = true): Observable<ScalarQuery> {
   if (isNil(query)) {
@@ -68,15 +68,15 @@ export function observeQuery(query: Query, audit: boolean = true): Observable<Sc
           }
         }
 
-        if (!isNil(startAt)) {
+        if (startAt !== undefined) {
           serializedOrder.startAt = startAt;
         }
 
-        if (!isNil(endAt)) {
+        if (endAt !== undefined) {
           serializedOrder.endAt = endAt;
         }
 
-        if (!isNil(equalTo)) {
+        if (equalTo !== undefined) {
           serializedOrder.equalTo = equalTo;
         }
 
@@ -127,13 +127,13 @@ export function getLimitToObservables(query: Query): Observable<LimitToSelection
 export function getStartAtObservable(query: Query): Observable<Primitive> {
   if (query.startAt instanceof Observable) {
     return query.startAt;
-  } else if (typeof query.startAt !== 'undefined') {
+  } else if (hasKey(query, 'startAt')) {
     return new Observable<Primitive>(subscriber => {
       subscriber.next(query.startAt);
     });
   } else {
     return new Observable<Primitive>(subscriber => {
-      subscriber.next(null);
+      subscriber.next(undefined);
     });
   }
 }
@@ -141,13 +141,13 @@ export function getStartAtObservable(query: Query): Observable<Primitive> {
 export function getEndAtObservable(query: Query): Observable<Primitive> {
   if (query.endAt instanceof Observable) {
     return query.endAt;
-  } else if (typeof query.endAt !== 'undefined') {
+  } else if (hasKey(query, 'endAt')) {
     return new Observable<Primitive>(subscriber => {
       subscriber.next(query.endAt);
     });
   } else {
     return new Observable<Primitive>(subscriber => {
-      subscriber.next(null);
+      subscriber.next(undefined);
     });
   }
 }
@@ -155,13 +155,13 @@ export function getEndAtObservable(query: Query): Observable<Primitive> {
 export function getEqualToObservable(query: Query): Observable<Primitive> {
   if (query.equalTo instanceof Observable) {
     return query.equalTo;
-  } else if (typeof query.equalTo !== 'undefined') {
+  } else if (hasKey(query, 'equalTo')) {
     return new Observable<Primitive>(subscriber => {
       subscriber.next(query.equalTo);
     });
   } else {
     return new Observable<Primitive>(subscriber => {
-      subscriber.next(null);
+      subscriber.next(undefined);
     });
   }
 }