diff --git a/lib/model.js b/lib/model.js
index cec00dc480f..cf8bdfff7fc 100644
--- a/lib/model.js
+++ b/lib/model.js
@@ -3000,7 +3000,7 @@ Model.create = function create(doc, options, callback) {
     const last = arguments[arguments.length - 1];
     options = {};
     // Handle falsy callbacks re: #5061
-    if (typeof last === 'function' || !last) {
+    if (typeof last === 'function' || (arguments.length > 1 && !last)) {
       cb = last;
       args = utils.args(arguments, 0, arguments.length - 1);
     } else {
diff --git a/test/model.create.test.js b/test/model.create.test.js
index c6097f639de..eb0744d8027 100644
--- a/test/model.create.test.js
+++ b/test/model.create.test.js
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ const DocumentObjectId = mongoose.Types.ObjectId;
  */
 
 const schema = new Schema({
-  title: { type: String, required: true }
+  title: { type: String }
 });
 
 describe('model', function() {
@@ -187,6 +187,14 @@ describe('model', function() {
           }).
           catch(done);
       });
+
+      it('treats undefined first arg as doc rather than callback (gh-9765)', function() {
+        return B.create(void 0).
+          then(function(doc) {
+            assert.ok(doc);
+            assert.ok(doc._id);
+          });
+      });
     });
   });
 });