diff --git a/src/BusProNet/DataProcessor/BookingPayloadBuilder.php b/src/BusProNet/DataProcessor/BookingPayloadBuilder.php
index 3af25f2..f3f9ade 100644
--- a/src/BusProNet/DataProcessor/BookingPayloadBuilder.php
+++ b/src/BusProNet/DataProcessor/BookingPayloadBuilder.php
@@ -203,6 +203,8 @@ class BookingPayloadBuilder
      */
     public function buildPickupPayload(array &$payload, Booking $bookingData): void
     {
+        $payload['zustiege'] = [];
+
         if (0 < count($bookingData->pickups)) {
             $payload['zustiege']['zustieg'] = [];
             foreach ($bookingData->pickups as $pickup) {
@@ -390,6 +392,9 @@ class BookingPayloadBuilder
         $this->addRoomMappingsToPayload($payload, $roomMap, $bookingDto);
         $this->addServicesFromMap($payload, 'zusatzleistungen', 'zusatzleistung', '@idleistung', $serviceMap);
         $this->addServicesFromMap($payload, 'zustiege', 'zustieg', '@idzustieg', $pickupMap);
+        if (false === array_key_exists('zustiege', $payload)) {
+            $payload['zustiege'] = [];
+        }
 
         $dropOffMap = $this->mappingCollector->collectDropOffMappings($bookingDto);
         $this->addServicesFromMap($payload, 'ausstiege', 'ausstieg', '@idzustieg', $dropOffMap);
diff --git a/tests/BusProNet/DataProcessor/BookingDataProcessorTest.php b/tests/BusProNet/DataProcessor/BookingDataProcessorTest.php
index d6633d0..ff2b98b 100644
--- a/tests/BusProNet/DataProcessor/BookingDataProcessorTest.php
+++ b/tests/BusProNet/DataProcessor/BookingDataProcessorTest.php
@@ -138,7 +138,8 @@ class BookingDataProcessorTest extends TestCase
 
         $result = $this->processor->createUpdateRequestPayload($formData);
 
-        $this->assertArrayNotHasKey('zustiege', $result);
+        $this->assertArrayHasKey('zustiege', $result);
+        $this->assertSame([], $result['zustiege']);
     }
 
     public function testUnusedServicesAreRemoved(): void
@@ -241,7 +242,8 @@ class BookingDataProcessorTest extends TestCase
 
         $result = $this->processor->createUpdateRequestPayload($formData);
 
-        $this->assertArrayNotHasKey('zustiege', $result);
+        $this->assertArrayHasKey('zustiege', $result);
+        $this->assertSame([], $result['zustiege']);
     }
 
     private function createCompleteFormData(): BookingDto