diff --git a/podman/api/http_utils.py b/podman/api/http_utils.py
index cf759ac2..41036d02 100644
--- a/podman/api/http_utils.py
+++ b/podman/api/http_utils.py
@@ -66,26 +66,33 @@ def prepare_body(body: Mapping[str, Any]) -> str:
     return json.dumps(body, sort_keys=True)
 
 
-def _filter_values(mapping: Mapping[str, Any]) -> Dict[str, Any]:
+def _filter_values(mapping: Mapping[str, Any], recursion=False) -> Dict[str, Any]:
     """Returns a canonical dictionary with values == None or empty Iterables removed.
 
     Dictionary is walked using recursion.
     """
     canonical = {}
+
     for key, value in mapping.items():
         # quick filter if possible...
-        if value is None or (isinstance(value, collections.abc.Sized) and len(value) <= 0):
+        if (
+            value is None
+            or (isinstance(value, collections.abc.Sized) and len(value) <= 0)
+            and not recursion
+        ):
             continue
 
         # depending on type we need details...
         if isinstance(value, collections.abc.Mapping):
-            proposal = _filter_values(value)
+            proposal = _filter_values(value, recursion=True)
         elif isinstance(value, collections.abc.Iterable) and not isinstance(value, str):
             proposal = [i for i in value if i is not None]
         else:
             proposal = value
 
-        if proposal not in (None, str(), [], {}):
+        if not recursion and proposal not in (None, str(), [], {}):
+            canonical[key] = proposal
+        elif recursion and proposal not in (None, [], {}):
             canonical[key] = proposal
 
     return canonical
diff --git a/podman/tests/unit/test_api_utils.py b/podman/tests/unit/test_api_utils.py
index b58466e2..dcafc294 100644
--- a/podman/tests/unit/test_api_utils.py
+++ b/podman/tests/unit/test_api_utils.py
@@ -154,6 +154,16 @@ def test_prepare_body_embedded(self):
         self.assertDictEqual(actual_dict["Dictionary"], payload["Dictionary"])
         self.assertEqual(set(actual_dict["Set1"]), {"item1", "item2"})
 
+    def test_prepare_body_dict_empty_string(self):
+        payload = {"Dictionary": {"key1": "", "key2": {"key3": ""}, "key4": [], "key5": {}}}
+
+        actual = api.prepare_body(payload)
+        actual_dict = json.loads(actual)
+        payload["Dictionary"].pop("key4")
+        payload["Dictionary"].pop("key5")
+
+        self.assertDictEqual(payload, actual_dict)
+
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     unittest.main()