diff --git a/django/core/management/sql.py b/django/core/management/sql.py
index 323cb5423d..954b2f4633 100644
--- a/django/core/management/sql.py
+++ b/django/core/management/sql.py
@@ -113,6 +113,8 @@ def sql_delete(app_config, style, connection, close_connection=True):
             cursor.close()
             connection.close()
 
+    if not output:
+        output.append('-- App creates no tables in the database. Nothing to do.')
     return output[::-1]  # Reverse it, to deal with table dependencies.
 
 
diff --git a/tests/admin_scripts/tests.py b/tests/admin_scripts/tests.py
index 0d622699e7..970e699b6d 100644
--- a/tests/admin_scripts/tests.py
+++ b/tests/admin_scripts/tests.py
@@ -297,7 +297,8 @@ class DjangoAdminFullPathDefaultSettings(AdminScriptTestCase):
     contains the test application specified using a full path.
     """
     def setUp(self):
-        self.write_settings('settings.py', ['django.contrib.auth', 'django.contrib.contenttypes', 'admin_scripts'])
+        self.write_settings('settings.py', ['django.contrib.auth', 'django.contrib.contenttypes',
+                                            'admin_scripts', 'admin_scripts.complex_app'])
 
     def tearDown(self):
         self.remove_settings('settings.py')
@@ -316,6 +317,13 @@ class DjangoAdminFullPathDefaultSettings(AdminScriptTestCase):
         self.assertNoOutput(err)
         self.assertOutput(out, 'CREATE TABLE')
 
+    def test_sqlclear_builtin_with_settings(self):
+        "fulldefault: django-admin builtin commands succeed if a setting file is provided"
+        args = ['sqlclear', '--settings=test_project.settings', 'complex_app']
+        out, err = self.run_django_admin(args)
+        self.assertNoOutput(err)
+        self.assertOutput(out, '-- App creates no tables in the database. Nothing to do.')
+
     def test_builtin_with_environment(self):
         "fulldefault: django-admin builtin commands succeed if the environment contains settings"
         args = ['sqlall', 'admin_scripts']
diff --git a/tests/commands_sql/tests.py b/tests/commands_sql/tests.py
index 8360648e51..5ddbe93223 100644
--- a/tests/commands_sql/tests.py
+++ b/tests/commands_sql/tests.py
@@ -73,7 +73,10 @@ class SQLCommandsRouterTestCase(TestCase):
         for sql_command in (sql_all, sql_create, sql_delete, sql_indexes, sql_destroy_indexes):
             if sql_command is sql_delete:
                 output = sql_command(app_config, no_style(), connections[DEFAULT_DB_ALIAS], close_connection=False)
+                # "App creates no tables in the database. Nothing to do."
+                expected_output = 1
             else:
                 output = sql_command(app_config, no_style(), connections[DEFAULT_DB_ALIAS])
-            self.assertEqual(len(output), 0,
+                expected_output = 0
+            self.assertEqual(len(output), expected_output,
                 "%s command is not honoring routers" % sql_command.__name__)