diff --git a/src/libexpr/eval-cache.cc b/src/libexpr/eval-cache.cc
index 0d732f59c..8850032ba 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/eval-cache.cc
+++ b/src/libexpr/eval-cache.cc
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+#include "nix/expr/value.hh"
 #include "nix/util/users.hh"
 #include "nix/expr/eval-cache.hh"
 #include "nix/store/sqlite.hh"
@@ -762,6 +763,14 @@ std::vector<Symbol> AttrCursor::getAttrs()
     return attrs;
 }
 
+bool AttrCursor::isNull()
+{
+    // <<< TODO: caching? >>>
+    auto & v = forceValue();
+
+    return v.type() == nNull;
+}
+
 bool AttrCursor::isDerivation()
 {
     auto aType = maybeGetAttr("type");
diff --git a/src/libexpr/include/nix/expr/eval-cache.hh b/src/libexpr/include/nix/expr/eval-cache.hh
index 31873f7a3..d6b92e049 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/include/nix/expr/eval-cache.hh
+++ b/src/libexpr/include/nix/expr/eval-cache.hh
@@ -153,6 +153,8 @@ public:
 
     bool isDerivation();
 
+    bool isNull();
+
     Value & forceValue();
 
     /**
diff --git a/src/nix/flake.cc b/src/nix/flake.cc
index 95cf85663..4ee85ca8a 100644
--- a/src/nix/flake.cc
+++ b/src/nix/flake.cc
@@ -1340,10 +1340,14 @@ struct CmdFlakeShow : FlakeCommand, MixJSON
                         }
                     } else {
                         try {
-                            if (visitor.isDerivation())
-                                showDerivation();
-                            else
-                                throw Error("expected a derivation");
+                            if (visitor.isNull()) {
+                                j = nullptr;
+                            } else{
+                                if (visitor.isDerivation())
+                                    showDerivation();
+                                else
+                                    throw Error("expected a derivation");
+                            }
                         } catch (IFDError & e) {
                             if (!json) {
                                 logger->cout(fmt("%s " ANSI_WARNING "omitted due to use of import from derivation" ANSI_NORMAL, headerPrefix));
diff --git a/tests/functional/flakes/common.sh b/tests/functional/flakes/common.sh
index 422cab96c..b47364a4f 100644
--- a/tests/functional/flakes/common.sh
+++ b/tests/functional/flakes/common.sh
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ writeSimpleFlake() {
       foo = import ./simple.nix;
       fooScript = (import ./shell.nix {}).foo;
       default = foo;
+      noPackage = null;
     };
     packages.someOtherSystem = rec {
       foo = import ./simple.nix;
diff --git a/tests/functional/flakes/show.sh b/tests/functional/flakes/show.sh
index 7fcc6aca9..0e730c64e 100755
--- a/tests/functional/flakes/show.sh
+++ b/tests/functional/flakes/show.sh
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ cat >flake.nix <<EOF
     packages.$system = { };
     packages.someOtherSystem = { };
 
-    formatter = { };
+    formatter.x86_64-linux = null;
     nixosConfigurations = { };
     nixosModules = { };
   };
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ nix flake show --json --all-systems > show-output.json
 nix eval --impure --expr '
 let show_output = builtins.fromJSON (builtins.readFile ./show-output.json);
 in
-assert show_output == { };
+assert show_output == { formatter = { x86_64-linux = null; }; };
 true
 '
 
diff --git a/tests/functional/formatter.sh b/tests/functional/formatter.sh
index 6631dd6b8..5d25c0b6d 100755
--- a/tests/functional/formatter.sh
+++ b/tests/functional/formatter.sh
@@ -85,3 +85,40 @@ rm ./my-result
 # Flake outputs check.
 nix flake check
 nix flake show | grep -P "package 'formatter'"
+
+function expectFailWithOutputMatching() {
+    outputMustMatch=$1
+
+    if output=$(nix fmt 2>&1); then
+        echo >&2 "nix fmt unexpectedly succeeded"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+
+    if ! echo "$output" | grep "$outputMustMatch"; then
+        echo >&2 "Expected nix fmt output to match:"
+        echo >&2 "$outputMustMatch"
+        echo >&2 "However, the actual output was:"
+        echo >&2 "$output"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+}
+
+# Try a flake with no formatter.
+cat << EOF > flake.nix
+{
+  outputs = _: {};
+}
+EOF
+expectFailWithOutputMatching "does not provide attribute 'formatter.$system'"
+# Confirm that a null formatter is treated as if there is no formatter.
+cat << EOF > flake.nix
+{
+  outputs = _: {
+    formatter.$system = null;
+  };
+}
+EOF
+if nix fmt | grep "does not provide attribute 'formatter.$system'"; then
+    echo >&2 "nix fmt unexpectedly succeeded"
+    exit 1
+fi