diff --git a/docs/1.getting-started/12.upgrade.md b/docs/1.getting-started/12.upgrade.md
index 4e0301db96..c8e6c66ef0 100644
--- a/docs/1.getting-started/12.upgrade.md
+++ b/docs/1.getting-started/12.upgrade.md
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ export default defineNuxtConfig({
   // experimental: {
   //   sharedPrerenderData: false,
   //   compileTemplate: true,
+  //   resetAsyncDataToUndefined: true,
   //   templateUtils: true,
   //   relativeWatchPaths: true,
   //   defaults: {
@@ -220,6 +221,32 @@ export default defineNuxtConfig({
 
 Please report an issue if you are doing this, as we do not plan to keep this as configurable.
 
+#### Respect defaults when clearing `data` in `useAsyncData` and `useFetch`
+
+🚦 **Impact Level**: Minimal
+
+##### What Changed
+
+If you provide a custom `default` value for `useAsyncData`, this will now be used when calling `clear` or `clearNuxtData` and it will be reset to its default value rather than simply unset.
+
+##### Reasons for Change
+
+Often users set an appropriately empty value, such as an empty array, to avoid the need to check for `null`/`undefined` when iterating over it. This should be respected when resetting/clearing the data.
+
+##### Migration Steps
+
+If you encounter any issues you can revert back to the previous behavior, for now, with:
+
+```ts twoslash [nuxt.config.ts]
+export default defineNuxtConfig({
+  experimental: {
+    resetAsyncDataToUndefined: true,
+  }
+})
+```
+
+Please report an issue if you are doing so, as we do not plan to keep this as configurable.
+
 #### Shallow Data Reactivity in `useAsyncData` and `useFetch`
 
 🚦 **Impact Level**: Minimal
diff --git a/packages/nuxt/src/app/composables/asyncData.ts b/packages/nuxt/src/app/composables/asyncData.ts
index 262a1ee54b..92e62b32f7 100644
--- a/packages/nuxt/src/app/composables/asyncData.ts
+++ b/packages/nuxt/src/app/composables/asyncData.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import { createError } from './error'
 import { onNuxtReady } from './ready'
 
 // @ts-expect-error virtual file
-import { asyncDataDefaults } from '#build/nuxt.config.mjs'
+import { asyncDataDefaults, resetAsyncDataToUndefined } from '#build/nuxt.config.mjs'
 
 // TODO: temporary module for backwards compatibility
 import type { DefaultAsyncDataErrorValue, DefaultAsyncDataValue } from '#app/defaults'
@@ -267,11 +267,15 @@ export function useAsyncData<
       pending: ref(!hasCachedData()),
       error: toRef(nuxtApp.payload._errors, key),
       status: ref('idle'),
+      _default: options.default!,
     }
   }
 
   // TODO: Else, somehow check for conflicting keys with different defaults or fetcher
-  const asyncData = { ...nuxtApp._asyncData[key] } as AsyncData<DataT | DefaultT, (NuxtErrorDataT extends Error | NuxtError ? NuxtErrorDataT : NuxtError<NuxtErrorDataT>)>
+  const asyncData = { ...nuxtApp._asyncData[key] } as { _default?: unknown } & AsyncData<DataT | DefaultT, (NuxtErrorDataT extends Error | NuxtError ? NuxtErrorDataT : NuxtError<NuxtErrorDataT>)>
+
+  // Don't expose default function to end user
+  delete asyncData._default
 
   asyncData.refresh = asyncData.execute = (opts = {}) => {
     if (nuxtApp._asyncDataPromises[key]) {
@@ -528,7 +532,7 @@ function clearNuxtDataByKey (nuxtApp: NuxtApp, key: string): void {
   }
 
   if (nuxtApp._asyncData[key]) {
-    nuxtApp._asyncData[key]!.data.value = undefined
+    nuxtApp._asyncData[key]!.data.value = resetAsyncDataToUndefined ? undefined : nuxtApp._asyncData[key]!._default()
     nuxtApp._asyncData[key]!.error.value = asyncDataDefaults.errorValue
     nuxtApp._asyncData[key]!.pending.value = false
     nuxtApp._asyncData[key]!.status.value = 'idle'
diff --git a/packages/nuxt/src/app/nuxt.ts b/packages/nuxt/src/app/nuxt.ts
index ae3137a7e2..8222527514 100644
--- a/packages/nuxt/src/app/nuxt.ts
+++ b/packages/nuxt/src/app/nuxt.ts
@@ -122,10 +122,12 @@ interface _NuxtApp {
   _asyncDataPromises: Record<string, Promise<any> | undefined>
   /** @internal */
   _asyncData: Record<string, {
-    data: Ref<any>
+    data: Ref<unknown>
     pending: Ref<boolean>
     error: Ref<Error | DefaultAsyncDataErrorValue>
     status: Ref<AsyncDataRequestStatus>
+    /** @internal */
+    _default: () => unknown
   } | undefined>
 
   /** @internal */
diff --git a/packages/nuxt/src/core/templates.ts b/packages/nuxt/src/core/templates.ts
index c7246f42ee..520f3986e7 100644
--- a/packages/nuxt/src/core/templates.ts
+++ b/packages/nuxt/src/core/templates.ts
@@ -404,6 +404,7 @@ export const nuxtConfigTemplate: NuxtTemplate = {
         value: ctx.nuxt.options.experimental.defaults.useAsyncData.value === 'null' ? null : undefined,
         errorValue: ctx.nuxt.options.experimental.defaults.useAsyncData.errorValue === 'null' ? null : undefined,
       })}`,
+      `export const resetAsyncDataToUndefined = ${ctx.nuxt.options.experimental.resetAsyncDataToUndefined}`,
       `export const nuxtDefaultErrorValue = ${ctx.nuxt.options.future.compatibilityVersion === 4 ? 'undefined' : 'null'}`,
       `export const fetchDefaults = ${JSON.stringify(fetchDefaults)}`,
       `export const vueAppRootContainer = ${ctx.nuxt.options.app.rootId ? `'#${ctx.nuxt.options.app.rootId}'` : `'body > ${ctx.nuxt.options.app.rootTag}'`}`,
diff --git a/packages/schema/src/config/experimental.ts b/packages/schema/src/config/experimental.ts
index 2d8b14d7e3..8d01cf72a4 100644
--- a/packages/schema/src/config/experimental.ts
+++ b/packages/schema/src/config/experimental.ts
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ export default defineUntypedSchema({
      *     compileTemplate: true,
      *     templateUtils: true,
      *     relativeWatchPaths: true,
+     *     resetAsyncDataToUndefined: true,
      *     defaults: {
      *       useAsyncData: {
      *         deep: true
@@ -488,5 +489,15 @@ export default defineUntypedSchema({
         return val ?? ((await get('future') as Record<string, unknown>).compatibilityVersion !== 4)
       },
     },
+
+    /**
+     * Whether `clear` and `clearNuxtData` should reset async data to its _default_ value or update
+     * it to `null`/`undefined`.
+     */
+    resetAsyncDataToUndefined: {
+      async $resolve (val, get) {
+        return val ?? ((await get('future') as Record<string, unknown>).compatibilityVersion !== 4)
+      },
+    },
   },
 })