diff --git a/internal/web/service/xray.go b/internal/web/service/xray.go
index 59aef9aa0..f5108617e 100644
--- a/internal/web/service/xray.go
+++ b/internal/web/service/xray.go
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ func (s *XrayService) GetXrayConfig() (*xray.Config, error) {
 			enableMap[clientTraffic.Email] = clientTraffic.Enable
 		}
 
-		var finalClients []any
+		finalClients := make([]any, 0, len(dbClients))
 		var wgPeers []any
 		for i := range dbClients {
 			c := dbClients[i]
diff --git a/internal/web/service/xray_config_clients_test.go b/internal/web/service/xray_config_clients_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1e59f9de7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/web/service/xray_config_clients_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,117 @@
+package service
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/mhsanaei/3x-ui/v3/internal/database"
+	"github.com/mhsanaei/3x-ui/v3/internal/database/model"
+)
+
+func seedVlessInbound(t *testing.T, tag string, port int, clients []model.Client) {
+	t.Helper()
+	setupSettingTestDB(t)
+	db := database.GetDB()
+	in := &model.Inbound{
+		Tag:      tag,
+		Enable:   true,
+		Port:     port,
+		Protocol: model.VLESS,
+		Settings: `{"clients":[],"decryption":"none"}`,
+	}
+	if err := db.Create(in).Error; err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("create vless inbound: %v", err)
+	}
+	svc := ClientService{}
+	if err := svc.SyncInbound(nil, in.Id, clients); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("SyncInbound: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+// ClientRecord.Enable carries gorm:"default:true", so a false on insert is
+// replaced by the default. Production disables through an UPDATE
+// (disableInvalidClients); do the same here.
+func disableClients(t *testing.T, emails ...string) {
+	t.Helper()
+	if err := database.GetDB().Model(&model.ClientRecord{}).
+		Where("email IN ?", emails).
+		Update("enable", false).Error; err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("disable clients: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func emittedClients(t *testing.T, tag string) (any, bool) {
+	t.Helper()
+	svc := &XrayService{}
+	cfg, err := svc.GetXrayConfig()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("GetXrayConfig: %v", err)
+	}
+	for i := range cfg.InboundConfigs {
+		if cfg.InboundConfigs[i].Tag != tag {
+			continue
+		}
+		var s map[string]any
+		if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(cfg.InboundConfigs[i].Settings), &s); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("unmarshal emitted settings: %v", err)
+		}
+		v, ok := s["clients"]
+		return v, ok
+	}
+	t.Fatalf("inbound %q not found in generated config", tag)
+	return nil, false
+}
+
+// An inbound whose clients are all filtered out must hand xray-core an empty
+// array. It used to emit "clients": null, which the panel treats as invalid
+// data elsewhere and coerces to [] at startup (#6117).
+func TestGetXrayConfig_EmptyClientListIsArrayNotNull(t *testing.T) {
+	seedVlessInbound(t, "vless-empty", 43101, []model.Client{
+		{Email: "gone@x", ID: "11111111-1111-1111-1111-111111111111", Enable: true},
+	})
+	disableClients(t, "gone@x")
+
+	value, present := emittedClients(t, "vless-empty")
+	if !present {
+		t.Fatal("the clients key must be present on a vless inbound")
+	}
+	if value == nil {
+		t.Fatal(`settings.clients must be [] when every client is filtered out, got null`)
+	}
+	list, ok := value.([]any)
+	if !ok {
+		t.Fatalf("settings.clients must be an array, got %T", value)
+	}
+	if len(list) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("a disabled client must not reach the config, got %d entries", len(list))
+	}
+}
+
+// The disabled/depleted filter must keep working — an empty array is only
+// correct because those clients are genuinely excluded.
+func TestGetXrayConfig_EnabledClientsStillEmitted(t *testing.T) {
+	seedVlessInbound(t, "vless-mixed", 43102, []model.Client{
+		{Email: "live@x", ID: "22222222-2222-2222-2222-222222222222", Enable: true},
+		{Email: "off@x", ID: "33333333-3333-3333-3333-333333333333", Enable: true},
+	})
+	disableClients(t, "off@x")
+
+	value, _ := emittedClients(t, "vless-mixed")
+	list, ok := value.([]any)
+	if !ok {
+		t.Fatalf("settings.clients must be an array, got %T", value)
+	}
+	if len(list) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("expected only the enabled client, got %d entries: %#v", len(list), list)
+	}
+	entry, ok := list[0].(map[string]any)
+	if !ok {
+		t.Fatalf("client entry must be an object, got %T", list[0])
+	}
+	if entry["email"] != "live@x" {
+		t.Errorf("wrong client emitted: %#v", entry)
+	}
+	if entry["id"] != "22222222-2222-2222-2222-222222222222" {
+		t.Errorf("client id not carried through: %#v", entry)
+	}
+}