diff --git a/modules/swagger-codegen/src/main/resources/python/api_client.mustache b/modules/swagger-codegen/src/main/resources/python/api_client.mustache
index 761a034e18..9188c85132 100644
--- a/modules/swagger-codegen/src/main/resources/python/api_client.mustache
+++ b/modules/swagger-codegen/src/main/resources/python/api_client.mustache
@@ -183,6 +183,9 @@ class ApiClient(object):
 
     :return: object
     """
+    if data is None:
+      return None
+
     if type(klass) == str:
       if 'list[' in klass:
         sub_kls = re.match('list\[(.*)\]', klass).group(1)
@@ -366,18 +369,6 @@ class ApiClient(object):
          and instance.attribute_map[attr] in data\
          and isinstance(data, (list, dict)):
         value = data[instance.attribute_map[attr]]
-        if attr_type in ['str', 'int', 'float', 'bool']:
-          attr_type = eval(attr_type)
-          setattr(instance, attr, self.__deserialize_primitive(value, attr_type))
-        elif attr_type == 'datetime':
-          setattr(instance, attr, self.__deserialize_datatime(value))
-        elif 'list[' in attr_type:
-          if not value:
-            setattr(instance, attr, None)
-          else:
-            sub_kls = re.match('list\[(.*)\]', attr_type).group(1)
-            setattr(instance, attr, [self.__deserialize(v, sub_kls) for v in value])
-        else:
-          setattr(instance, attr, self.__deserialize(value, attr_type))
+        setattr(instance, attr, self.__deserialize(value, attr_type))
 
     return instance
diff --git a/samples/client/petstore/python/swagger_client/api_client.py b/samples/client/petstore/python/swagger_client/api_client.py
index 761a034e18..9188c85132 100644
--- a/samples/client/petstore/python/swagger_client/api_client.py
+++ b/samples/client/petstore/python/swagger_client/api_client.py
@@ -183,6 +183,9 @@ class ApiClient(object):
 
     :return: object
     """
+    if data is None:
+      return None
+
     if type(klass) == str:
       if 'list[' in klass:
         sub_kls = re.match('list\[(.*)\]', klass).group(1)
@@ -366,18 +369,6 @@ class ApiClient(object):
          and instance.attribute_map[attr] in data\
          and isinstance(data, (list, dict)):
         value = data[instance.attribute_map[attr]]
-        if attr_type in ['str', 'int', 'float', 'bool']:
-          attr_type = eval(attr_type)
-          setattr(instance, attr, self.__deserialize_primitive(value, attr_type))
-        elif attr_type == 'datetime':
-          setattr(instance, attr, self.__deserialize_datatime(value))
-        elif 'list[' in attr_type:
-          if not value:
-            setattr(instance, attr, None)
-          else:
-            sub_kls = re.match('list\[(.*)\]', attr_type).group(1)
-            setattr(instance, attr, [self.__deserialize(v, sub_kls) for v in value])
-        else:
-          setattr(instance, attr, self.__deserialize(value, attr_type))
+        setattr(instance, attr, self.__deserialize(value, attr_type))
 
     return instance
diff --git a/samples/client/petstore/python/tests/test_deserialization.py b/samples/client/petstore/python/tests/test_deserialization.py
index 8d9be6d57a..7451f2fbc2 100644
--- a/samples/client/petstore/python/tests/test_deserialization.py
+++ b/samples/client/petstore/python/tests/test_deserialization.py
@@ -143,3 +143,8 @@ class DeserializationTests(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(deserialized[1].id, 1)
         self.assertEqual(deserialized[0].name, "doggie0")
         self.assertEqual(deserialized[1].name, "doggie1")
+
+    def test_deserialize_none(self):
+        """ deserialize None """
+        deserialized = self.deserialize(None, "datetime")
+        self.assertIsNone(deserialized)