diff --git a/.changeset/lazy-bananas-peel.md b/.changeset/lazy-bananas-peel.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2dd49c76db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/lazy-bananas-peel.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"rrweb-snapshot": patch
+---
+
+fix: The needsMask check should also be ignored when the childNode array length is equal to 0
diff --git a/packages/rrweb-snapshot/src/snapshot.ts b/packages/rrweb-snapshot/src/snapshot.ts
index 301f84430e..549aad457f 100644
--- a/packages/rrweb-snapshot/src/snapshot.ts
+++ b/packages/rrweb-snapshot/src/snapshot.ts
@@ -982,7 +982,9 @@ export function serializeNodeWithId(
 
   if (
     !needsMask &&
-    n.childNodes // we can avoid the check on leaf elements, as masking is applied to child text nodes only
+    n.childNodes?.length > 0
+    // we can avoid the check on leaf elements, as masking is applied to child text nodes only
+    // The needsMask check should also be ignored when the childNode array length is 0
   ) {
     // perf: if needsMask = true, children won't also need to check
     const checkAncestors = needsMask === undefined; // if false, we've already checked ancestors