diff --git a/bigtable/google/cloud/bigtable/row_data.py b/bigtable/google/cloud/bigtable/row_data.py
index f293c93d3c43..60fc1f0ef1e8 100644
--- a/bigtable/google/cloud/bigtable/row_data.py
+++ b/bigtable/google/cloud/bigtable/row_data.py
@@ -366,8 +366,6 @@ def _validate_chunk_row_in_progress(self, chunk):
         """Helper for :meth:`_validate_chunk`"""
         assert self.state == self.ROW_IN_PROGRESS
         self._validate_chunk_status(chunk)
-        if not chunk.HasField('commit_row') and not chunk.reset_row:
-            _raise_if(not chunk.timestamp_micros or not chunk.value)
         _raise_if(chunk.row_key and
                   chunk.row_key != self._row.row_key)
         _raise_if(chunk.HasField('family_name') and
diff --git a/bigtable/unit_tests/test_row_data.py b/bigtable/unit_tests/test_row_data.py
index 8a2fb6a7e5e6..cc90ced67dcc 100644
--- a/bigtable/unit_tests/test_row_data.py
+++ b/bigtable/unit_tests/test_row_data.py
@@ -416,20 +416,6 @@ def test_invalid_empty_chunk(self):
         with self.assertRaises(InvalidChunk):
             prd.consume_next()
 
-    def test_invalid_empty_second_chunk(self):
-        from google.cloud.bigtable.row_data import InvalidChunk
-
-        chunks = _generate_cell_chunks(['', ''])
-        first = chunks[0]
-        first.row_key = b'RK'
-        first.family_name.value = 'A'
-        first.qualifier.value = b'C'
-        response = _ReadRowsResponseV2(chunks)
-        iterator = _MockCancellableIterator(response)
-        prd = self._make_one(iterator)
-        with self.assertRaises(InvalidChunk):
-            prd.consume_next()
-
 
 class TestPartialRowsData_JSON_acceptance_tests(unittest.TestCase):