diff --git a/osbuild/monitor.py b/osbuild/monitor.py
index 274de87a..f3ce077b 100644
--- a/osbuild/monitor.py
+++ b/osbuild/monitor.py
@@ -21,6 +21,16 @@ import osbuild
 from osbuild.util.term import fmt as vt
 
 
+def omitempty(d: dict):
+    """ Omit None and empty string ("") values from the given dict """
+    for k, v in list(d.items()):
+        if v is None or v == "":
+            del d[k]
+        elif isinstance(v, dict):
+            omitempty(v)
+    return d
+
+
 class Context:
     """Context for a single log line. Automatically calculates hash/id when read."""
 
@@ -157,13 +167,13 @@ class LogLine:
         self.progress = progress
 
     def as_dict(self):
-        return {
+        return omitempty({
             "message": self.message,
             "error": self.error,
             "context": self.context.as_dict(),
             "progress": self.progress.as_dict(),
             "timestamp": time.time(),
-        }
+        })
 
 
 class TextWriter:
diff --git a/test/mod/test_monitor.py b/test/mod/test_monitor.py
index d70bc44a..5880a2a9 100644
--- a/test/mod/test_monitor.py
+++ b/test/mod/test_monitor.py
@@ -223,7 +223,8 @@ def test_json_progress_monitor():
         assert logitem["message"] == "pipeline 1 message 1"
         assert logitem["context"]["origin"] == "org.osbuild"
         assert logitem["context"]["pipeline"]["name"] == "test-pipeline-first"
-        assert logitem["context"]["pipeline"]["stage"]["name"] is None
+        # empty items are omited
+        assert "name" not in logitem["context"]["pipeline"]["stage"]
 
         logitem = json.loads(log[3])
         assert logitem["message"] == "pipeline 1 message 2"