diff --git a/docs/pages/release_notes.md b/docs/pages/release_notes.md
index 8adaca9a57..687894b8f0 100644
--- a/docs/pages/release_notes.md
+++ b/docs/pages/release_notes.md
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ See [PR #5040](https://github.com/pmd/pmd/pull/5040) for details.
 ### 🌟 Rule Changes
 
 #### Changed Rules
+* {% rule java/bestpractices/SwitchStmtsShouldHaveDefault %} (Java Best Practices) doesn't report empty switch statements anymore.
+  To detect these, use {% rule java/codestyle/EmptyControlStatement %}.
 * {% rule java/bestpractices/UnitTestShouldUseAfterAnnotation %} (Java Best Practices) now also considers JUnit 5 and TestNG tests.
 * {% rule java/bestpractices/UnitTestShouldUseBeforeAnnotation %} (Java Best Practices) now also considers JUnit 5 and TestNG tests.
 
diff --git a/pmd-java/src/test/resources/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/bestpractices/xml/SwitchStmtsShouldHaveDefault.xml b/pmd-java/src/test/resources/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/bestpractices/xml/SwitchStmtsShouldHaveDefault.xml
index cd13ce5dc9..eba1aef001 100644
--- a/pmd-java/src/test/resources/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/bestpractices/xml/SwitchStmtsShouldHaveDefault.xml
+++ b/pmd-java/src/test/resources/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/bestpractices/xml/SwitchStmtsShouldHaveDefault.xml
@@ -19,6 +19,19 @@ public class Foo {
         ]]></code>
     </test-code>
 
+    <test-code>
+        <description>empty switch is ok</description>
+        <expected-problems>0</expected-problems>
+        <code><![CDATA[
+public class Foo {
+    void bar() {
+        int x = 2;
+        switch (x) { } // this is ok. The empty switch is detected by EmptyControlStatement
+    }
+}
+        ]]></code>
+    </test-code>
+
     <test-code>
         <description>simple ok case</description>
         <expected-problems>0</expected-problems>