diff --git a/Lib/plistlib.py b/Lib/plistlib.py
index 41fd8f2efd1..2b0b6341007 100644
--- a/Lib/plistlib.py
+++ b/Lib/plistlib.py
@@ -228,8 +228,8 @@ class PlistWriter(DumbXMLWriter):
     def writeData(self, data):
         self.beginElement("data")
         self.indentLevel -= 1
-        maxlinelength = 76 - len(self.indent.replace(b"\t", b" " * 8) *
-                                 self.indentLevel)
+        maxlinelength = max(16, 76 - len(self.indent.replace(b"\t", b" " * 8) *
+                                 self.indentLevel))
         for line in data.asBase64(maxlinelength).split(b"\n"):
             if line:
                 self.writeln(line)
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_plistlib.py b/Lib/test/test_plistlib.py
index a9e343eb155..9e86b3de646 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_plistlib.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_plistlib.py
@@ -141,6 +141,18 @@ class TestPlistlib(unittest.TestCase):
         data2 = plistlib.writePlistToBytes(pl2)
         self.assertEqual(data, data2)
 
+    def test_indentation_array(self):
+        data = [[[[[[[[{'test': plistlib.Data(b'aaaaaa')}]]]]]]]]
+        self.assertEqual(plistlib.readPlistFromBytes(plistlib.writePlistToBytes(data)), data)
+
+    def test_indentation_dict(self):
+        data = {'1': {'2': {'3': {'4': {'5': {'6': {'7': {'8': {'9': plistlib.Data(b'aaaaaa')}}}}}}}}}
+        self.assertEqual(plistlib.readPlistFromBytes(plistlib.writePlistToBytes(data)), data)
+
+    def test_indentation_dict_mix(self):
+        data = {'1': {'2': [{'3': [[[[[{'test': plistlib.Data(b'aaaaaa')}]]]]]}]}}
+        self.assertEqual(plistlib.readPlistFromBytes(plistlib.writePlistToBytes(data)), data)
+
     def test_appleformatting(self):
         pl = plistlib.readPlistFromBytes(TESTDATA)
         data = plistlib.writePlistToBytes(pl)
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index 60945c6da73..34df05de498 100644
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ Core and Builtins
 Library
 -------
 
+- Issue #17353: Plistlib emitted empty data tags with deeply nested datastructures
+
 - Issue #11714: Use 'with' statements to assure a Semaphore releases a
   condition variable.  Original patch by Thomas Rachel.