diff --git a/src/arrow2/src/io/parquet/read/deserialize/mod.rs b/src/arrow2/src/io/parquet/read/deserialize/mod.rs
index c05978d74..3d641e452 100644
--- a/src/arrow2/src/io/parquet/read/deserialize/mod.rs
+++ b/src/arrow2/src/io/parquet/read/deserialize/mod.rs
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ where
     }
 
     nested::columns_to_iter_recursive(
-        columns, types, field, init, num_rows, chunk_size, num_values,
+        columns, types, field, init, num_rows, chunk_size, num_values, false,
     )
 }
 
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ where
 {
     Ok(Box::new(
         nested::columns_to_iter_recursive(
-            columns, types, field, init, num_rows, chunk_size, num_values,
+            columns, types, field, init, num_rows, chunk_size, num_values, false,
         )?
         .map(|x| x.map(|x| x.1)),
     ))
diff --git a/src/arrow2/src/io/parquet/read/deserialize/nested.rs b/src/arrow2/src/io/parquet/read/deserialize/nested.rs
index ba7125b76..5b168f25c 100644
--- a/src/arrow2/src/io/parquet/read/deserialize/nested.rs
+++ b/src/arrow2/src/io/parquet/read/deserialize/nested.rs
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ pub fn columns_to_iter_recursive<'a, I>(
     num_rows: usize,
     chunk_size: Option<usize>,
     mut num_values: Vec<usize>,
+    is_parent_nullable: bool,
 ) -> Result<NestedArrayIter<'a>>
 where
     I: Pages + 'a,
@@ -49,10 +50,11 @@ where
     use crate::datatypes::PhysicalType::*;
     use crate::datatypes::PrimitiveType::*;
 
+    let is_nullable = is_parent_nullable || field.is_nullable;
     Ok(match field.data_type().to_physical_type() {
         Null => {
             // physical type is i32
-            init.push(InitNested::Primitive(field.is_nullable));
+            init.push(InitNested::Primitive(is_nullable));
             types.pop();
             primitive(null::NestedIter::new(
                 columns.pop().unwrap(),
@@ -64,7 +66,7 @@ where
             ))
         }
         Boolean => {
-            init.push(InitNested::Primitive(field.is_nullable));
+            init.push(InitNested::Primitive(is_nullable));
             types.pop();
             primitive(boolean::NestedIter::new(
                 columns.pop().unwrap(),
@@ -75,7 +77,7 @@ where
             ))
         }
         Primitive(Int8) => {
-            init.push(InitNested::Primitive(field.is_nullable));
+            init.push(InitNested::Primitive(is_nullable));
             types.pop();
             primitive(primitive::NestedIter::new(
                 columns.pop().unwrap(),
@@ -88,7 +90,7 @@ where
             ))
         }
         Primitive(Int16) => {
-            init.push(InitNested::Primitive(field.is_nullable));
+            init.push(InitNested::Primitive(is_nullable));
             types.pop();
             primitive(primitive::NestedIter::new(
                 columns.pop().unwrap(),
@@ -101,7 +103,7 @@ where
             ))
         }
         Primitive(Int32) => {
-            init.push(InitNested::Primitive(field.is_nullable));
+            init.push(InitNested::Primitive(is_nullable));
             types.pop();
             primitive(primitive::NestedIter::new(
                 columns.pop().unwrap(),
@@ -114,7 +116,7 @@ where
             ))
         }
         Primitive(Int64) => {
-            init.push(InitNested::Primitive(field.is_nullable));
+            init.push(InitNested::Primitive(is_nullable));
             types.pop();
             primitive(primitive::NestedIter::new(
                 columns.pop().unwrap(),
@@ -127,7 +129,7 @@ where
             ))
         }
         Primitive(UInt8) => {
-            init.push(InitNested::Primitive(field.is_nullable));
+            init.push(InitNested::Primitive(is_nullable));
             types.pop();
             primitive(primitive::NestedIter::new(
                 columns.pop().unwrap(),
@@ -140,7 +142,7 @@ where
             ))
         }
         Primitive(UInt16) => {
-            init.push(InitNested::Primitive(field.is_nullable));
+            init.push(InitNested::Primitive(is_nullable));
             types.pop();
             primitive(primitive::NestedIter::new(
                 columns.pop().unwrap(),
@@ -153,7 +155,7 @@ where
             ))
         }
         Primitive(UInt32) => {
-            init.push(InitNested::Primitive(field.is_nullable));
+            init.push(InitNested::Primitive(is_nullable));
             let type_ = types.pop().unwrap();
             match type_.physical_type {
                 PhysicalType::Int32 => primitive(primitive::NestedIter::new(
@@ -183,7 +185,7 @@ where
             }
         }
         Primitive(UInt64) => {
-            init.push(InitNested::Primitive(field.is_nullable));
+            init.push(InitNested::Primitive(is_nullable));
             types.pop();
             primitive(primitive::NestedIter::new(
                 columns.pop().unwrap(),
@@ -196,7 +198,7 @@ where
             ))
         }
         Primitive(Float32) => {
-            init.push(InitNested::Primitive(field.is_nullable));
+            init.push(InitNested::Primitive(is_nullable));
             types.pop();
             primitive(primitive::NestedIter::new(
                 columns.pop().unwrap(),
@@ -209,7 +211,7 @@ where
             ))
         }
         Primitive(Float64) => {
-            init.push(InitNested::Primitive(field.is_nullable));
+            init.push(InitNested::Primitive(is_nullable));
             types.pop();
             primitive(primitive::NestedIter::new(
                 columns.pop().unwrap(),
@@ -222,7 +224,7 @@ where
             ))
         }
         Binary | Utf8 => {
-            init.push(InitNested::Primitive(field.is_nullable));
+            init.push(InitNested::Primitive(is_nullable));
             types.pop();
             remove_nested(binary::NestedIter::<i32, _>::new(
                 columns.pop().unwrap(),
@@ -234,7 +236,7 @@ where
             ))
         }
         LargeBinary | LargeUtf8 => {
-            init.push(InitNested::Primitive(field.is_nullable));
+            init.push(InitNested::Primitive(is_nullable));
             types.pop();
             remove_nested(binary::NestedIter::<i64, _>::new(
                 columns.pop().unwrap(),
@@ -254,7 +256,7 @@ where
                 // Hence, unlike the other type readers, for now we do not pass on `num_values` as
                 // there is currently no way to encounter or test this code. This should be fixed
                 // when support for reading the dictionary types is added.
-                init.push(InitNested::Primitive(field.is_nullable));
+                init.push(InitNested::Primitive(is_nullable));
                 let type_ = types.pop().unwrap();
                 let iter = columns.pop().unwrap();
                 let data_type = field.data_type().clone();
@@ -265,7 +267,7 @@ where
             DataType::List(inner)
             | DataType::LargeList(inner)
             | DataType::FixedSizeList(inner, _) => {
-                init.push(InitNested::List(field.is_nullable));
+                init.push(InitNested::List(is_nullable));
                 let iter = columns_to_iter_recursive(
                     columns,
                     types,
@@ -274,6 +276,7 @@ where
                     num_rows,
                     chunk_size,
                     num_values,
+                    is_nullable,
                 )?;
                 let iter = iter.map(move |x| {
                     let (mut nested, array) = x?;
@@ -283,7 +286,7 @@ where
                 Box::new(iter) as _
             }
             DataType::Decimal(_, _) => {
-                init.push(InitNested::Primitive(field.is_nullable));
+                init.push(InitNested::Primitive(is_nullable));
                 let type_ = types.pop().unwrap();
                 match type_.physical_type {
                     PhysicalType::Int32 => primitive(primitive::NestedIter::new(
@@ -349,7 +352,7 @@ where
                 }
             }
             DataType::Decimal256(_, _) => {
-                init.push(InitNested::Primitive(field.is_nullable));
+                init.push(InitNested::Primitive(is_nullable));
                 let type_ = types.pop().unwrap();
                 match type_.physical_type {
                     PhysicalType::Int32 => primitive(primitive::NestedIter::new(
@@ -452,7 +455,7 @@ where
                     .rev()
                     .map(|f| {
                         let mut init = init.clone();
-                        init.push(InitNested::Struct(field.is_nullable));
+                        init.push(InitNested::Struct(is_nullable));
                         let n = n_columns(&f.data_type);
                         let columns = columns.drain(columns.len() - n..).collect();
                         let types = types.drain(types.len() - n..).collect();
@@ -465,6 +468,7 @@ where
                             num_rows,
                             chunk_size,
                             num_values,
+                            is_nullable,
                         )
                     })
                     .collect::<Result<Vec<_>>>()?;
@@ -472,7 +476,7 @@ where
                 Box::new(struct_::StructIterator::new(columns, fields.clone()))
             }
             DataType::Map(inner, _) => {
-                init.push(InitNested::List(field.is_nullable));
+                init.push(InitNested::List(is_nullable));
                 let iter = columns_to_iter_recursive(
                     columns,
                     types,
@@ -481,6 +485,7 @@ where
                     num_rows,
                     chunk_size,
                     num_values,
+                    is_nullable,
                 )?;
                 let iter = iter.map(move |x| {
                     let (mut nested, array) = x?;