diff --git a/examples/src/main/python/avro_inputformat.py b/examples/src/main/python/avro_inputformat.py
index 496690201b02c..e902ae29753c0 100644
--- a/examples/src/main/python/avro_inputformat.py
+++ b/examples/src/main/python/avro_inputformat.py
@@ -20,17 +20,17 @@
 from pyspark import SparkContext
 
 """
-Read data file users.avro in local Spark dist:
+Read data file users.avro in local Spark distro:
 
 $ cd $SPARK_HOME
 $ ./bin/spark-submit --driver-class-path /path/to/example/jar ./examples/src/main/python/avro_inputformat.py \
-> ./examples/src/main/resources/users.avro
-{u'favorite_color': None, u'favorite_number': 256, u'name': u'Alyssa'}
-{u'favorite_color': u'red', u'favorite_number': 7, u'name': u'Ben'}
+> examples/src/main/resources/users.avro
+{u'favorite_color': None, u'name': u'Alyssa', u'favorite_numbers': [3, 9, 15, 20]}
+{u'favorite_color': u'red', u'name': u'Ben', u'favorite_numbers': []}
 
-To read name and favorite_color fields only, specify the following reader schema file:
+To read name and favorite_color fields only, specify the following reader schema:
 
-$ cat ./examples/src/main/resources/user.avsc
+$ cat examples/src/main/resources/user.avsc
 {"namespace": "example.avro",
  "type": "record",
  "name": "User",
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
 }
 
 $ ./bin/spark-submit --driver-class-path /path/to/example/jar ./examples/src/main/python/avro_inputformat.py \
-> ./examples/src/main/resources/users.avro ./examples/src/main/resources/user.avsc
+> examples/src/main/resources/users.avro examples/src/main/resources/user.avsc
 {u'favorite_color': None, u'name': u'Alyssa'}
 {u'favorite_color': u'red', u'name': u'Ben'}
 """
diff --git a/examples/src/main/resources/users.avro b/examples/src/main/resources/users.avro
index 29fba6fd57f01..27c526ab114b2 100644
Binary files a/examples/src/main/resources/users.avro and b/examples/src/main/resources/users.avro differ
diff --git a/examples/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/examples/pythonconverters/AvroConverters.scala b/examples/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/examples/pythonconverters/AvroConverters.scala
index def8bdc8e318d..1b25983a38453 100644
--- a/examples/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/examples/pythonconverters/AvroConverters.scala
+++ b/examples/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/examples/pythonconverters/AvroConverters.scala
@@ -33,13 +33,19 @@ import org.apache.spark.SparkException
 /**
  * Implementation of [[org.apache.spark.api.python.Converter]] that converts
  * an Avro Record wrapped in an AvroKey (or AvroValue) to a Java Map. It tries
- * to work with all 3 Avro data models.
+ * to work with all 3 Avro data mappings (Generic, Specific and Reflect).
  */
 class AvroWrapperToJavaConverter extends Converter[Any, Any] {
-  override def convert(obj: Any): Any = obj.asInstanceOf[AvroWrapper[_]].datum() match {
-    case record: IndexedRecord => unpackRecord(record)
-    case other => throw new SparkException(
-      s"Unsupported top-level Avro data type ${other.getClass.getName}")
+  override def convert(obj: Any): Any = {
+    if (obj == null) {
+      return null
+    }
+    obj.asInstanceOf[AvroWrapper[_]].datum() match {
+      case null => null
+      case record: IndexedRecord => unpackRecord(record)
+      case other => throw new SparkException(
+        s"Unsupported top-level Avro data type ${other.getClass.getName}")
+    }
   }
 
   def unpackRecord(obj: Any): JMap[String, Any] = {