diff --git a/tests/test_toml_document.py b/tests/test_toml_document.py
index 7ba61f5e..be776a14 100644
--- a/tests/test_toml_document.py
+++ b/tests/test_toml_document.py
@@ -1666,3 +1666,109 @@ def test_scalar_is_not_captured_by_table_rendered_from_dotted_key() -> None:
     doc["z"] = 2
 
     assert doc.as_string() == "a.b = 1\nz = 2\n"
+
+
+def test_emptied_array_of_tables_renders_as_empty_array() -> None:
+    # https://github.com/python-poetry/tomlkit/issues/553
+    # An array of tables with no elements left has no `[[key]]` header to
+    # render, so it must fall back to the inline `key = []` form. Rendering
+    # nothing dropped the key entirely.
+    doc = parse("[[a]]\nx = 1\n")
+    doc["a"].pop()
+
+    assert doc.as_string() == "a = []\n"
+    assert parse(doc.as_string()) == {"a": []}
+
+
+def test_emptied_array_of_tables_is_hoisted_above_table_headers() -> None:
+    # https://github.com/python-poetry/tomlkit/issues/553
+    # TOML only reads bare key/value pairs before the first table header, so
+    # the inline fallback has to be emitted there rather than in body order.
+    # Left in place it would be parsed back as a key of the preceding table.
+    doc = parse("[t]\nq = 2\n\n[[a]]\nx = 1\n")
+    doc["a"].pop()
+
+    assert parse(doc.as_string()) == {"t": {"q": 2}, "a": []}
+    assert doc.as_string().index("a = []") < doc.as_string().index("[t]")
+
+
+def test_emptied_array_of_tables_keeps_preceding_scalars() -> None:
+    # https://github.com/python-poetry/tomlkit/issues/553
+    doc = parse("v = 9\n\n[[a]]\nx = 1\n")
+    doc["a"].pop()
+
+    assert parse(doc.as_string()) == {"v": 9, "a": []}
+
+
+def test_non_empty_array_of_tables_is_not_hoisted() -> None:
+    # https://github.com/python-poetry/tomlkit/issues/553
+    # Only emptied arrays of tables change form; ordinary ones must round-trip
+    # byte for byte.
+    content = "[t]\nq = 2\n\n[[a]]\nx = 1\n"
+
+    assert parse(content).as_string() == content
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    ("content", "empty"),
+    [
+        # Nested directly under a table.
+        ("[t]\nq = 2\n\n[[t.a]]\nx = 1\n", lambda doc: doc["t"]["a"]),
+        # Nested under a table that also has a sibling sub-table after it.
+        ("[t]\n\n[[t.a]]\nx = 1\n\n[t.b]\ny = 3\n", lambda doc: doc["t"]["a"]),
+        # ... and before it, so the fallback has to move.
+        ("[t]\n\n[t.b]\ny = 3\n\n[[t.a]]\nx = 1\n", lambda doc: doc["t"]["a"]),
+        # Two levels down.
+        ("[t]\n\n[t.u]\n\n[[t.u.a]]\nx = 1\n", lambda doc: doc["t"]["u"]["a"]),
+        # Inside an element of another array of tables.
+        ("[[e]]\nn = 1\n\n[[e.a]]\nx = 1\n", lambda doc: doc["e"][0]["a"]),
+        # Parent table left implicit: there is no `[t]` header to make `a`
+        # bare, so the fallback has to keep the `t.` prefix.
+        ("[[t.a]]\nx = 1\n", lambda doc: doc["t"]["a"]),
+        # ... two levels of implicit parent.
+        ("[[t.u.a]]\nx = 1\n", lambda doc: doc["t"]["u"]["a"]),
+        # ... with an unrelated header before it, which the fallback must not
+        # be read into.
+        ("[x]\nq = 1\n\n[[t.a]]\nx = 1\n", lambda doc: doc["t"]["a"]),
+        # ... and with a sibling sub-table, so the implicit parent survives
+        # into the rendered output as a header of its own.
+        ("[x]\nq = 1\n\n[[t.a]]\nx = 1\n\n[t.b]\ny = 3\n", lambda doc: doc["t"]["a"]),
+        # Explicit grandparent, implicit parent: the fallback is relative to
+        # the nearest header, so it is `u.a`, not `t.u.a`.
+        ("[t]\n\n[[t.u.a]]\nx = 1\n", lambda doc: doc["t"]["u"]["a"]),
+        ("[t]\n\n[[t.u.a]]\nx = 1\n\n[t.u.b]\ny = 3\n", lambda doc: doc["t"]["u"]["a"]),
+        # Implicit parent inside an array-of-tables element.
+        ("[[e]]\nn = 1\n\n[[e.s.a]]\nx = 1\n", lambda doc: doc["e"][0]["s"]["a"]),
+    ],
+)
+def test_emptied_nested_array_of_tables_round_trips(content, empty) -> None:
+    # https://github.com/python-poetry/tomlkit/issues/553
+    # The inline fallback is a bare key/value pair emitted inside the scope its
+    # header named, so it must be written with the bare key. Carrying the
+    # header prefix over emitted `t.a = []` under `[t]`, which reads back as
+    # `t.t.a`.
+    doc = parse(content)
+    empty(doc).pop()
+
+    assert parse(doc.as_string()).unwrap() == doc.unwrap()
+
+
+def test_emptied_array_of_tables_under_implicit_parent_keeps_its_path() -> None:
+    # https://github.com/python-poetry/tomlkit/issues/553
+    # A super table emits no header, so it opens no scope for the fallback to
+    # be bare in. Dropping the prefix here moved the key to the root.
+    doc = parse("[[t.a]]\nx = 1\n")
+    doc["t"]["a"].pop()
+
+    assert doc.as_string() == "t.a = []\n"
+
+
+def test_emptied_array_of_tables_is_relative_to_the_nearest_header() -> None:
+    # https://github.com/python-poetry/tomlkit/issues/553
+    # `[t]` is emitted, `t.u` is not, so the fallback is written relative to
+    # `[t]`. Spelling it in full emitted `t.u.a = []` under `[t]`, which reads
+    # back as `t.t.u.a`.
+    doc = parse("[t]\n[[t.u.a]]\nx = 1\n")
+    doc["t"]["u"]["a"].pop()
+
+    assert doc.as_string() == "[t]\nu.a = []\n"
diff --git a/tomlkit/container.py b/tomlkit/container.py
index 8ff30d98..ed081fce 100644
--- a/tomlkit/container.py
+++ b/tomlkit/container.py
@@ -32,6 +32,76 @@
 _NOT_SET = object()
 
 
+def _is_empty_aot(item: Item) -> bool:
+    """Whether ``item`` is an array of tables with no elements left."""
+    return isinstance(item, AoT) and not item.body
+
+
+def _emits_header(key: Key, table: Table) -> bool:
+    """Whether rendering ``table`` under ``key`` emits a ``[header]`` line.
+
+    A super table normally renders as nothing but the path prefix of its
+    children, so it opens no scope of its own.
+    """
+    return (
+        not table.is_super_table()
+        or (
+            any(
+                not isinstance(v, (Table, AoT, Whitespace, Null))
+                for _, v in table.value.body
+            )
+            and not key.is_dotted()
+        )
+        or (
+            any(
+                k is not None and k.is_dotted()
+                for k, v in table.value.body
+                if isinstance(v, Table)
+            )
+            and not key.is_dotted()
+        )
+    )
+
+
+def _header_less_aots(
+    body: list[tuple[Key | None, Item]], prefix: str = ""
+) -> list[tuple[str, AoT]]:
+    """Every emptied array of tables reachable without crossing a header.
+
+    An emptied array of tables has no ``[[key]]`` header left to render, so it
+    falls back to the inline ``key = []`` form -- and TOML reads a bare
+    key/value pair into whichever table the closest preceding header opened.
+    So the fallbacks of a scope have to be written at the top of that scope,
+    with a key relative to it, and that includes the ones sitting inside super
+    tables, which emit no header to separate them.
+
+    Returns ``(dotted key, aot)`` pairs, keyed relative to the scope ``body``
+    belongs to.
+    """
+    found: list[tuple[str, AoT]] = []
+    for k, v in body:
+        if k is None:
+            continue
+        path = f"{prefix}.{k.as_string()}" if prefix else k.as_string()
+        if _is_empty_aot(v):
+            found.append((path, v))
+        elif isinstance(v, Table) and not _emits_header(k, v):
+            found.extend(_header_less_aots(v.value.body, path))
+    return found
+
+
+def _render_empty_aot(key: str, aot: AoT) -> str:
+    """Render an emptied array of tables as an inline empty array."""
+    return (
+        f"{aot.trivia.indent}"
+        f"{decode(key)}"
+        f" = []"
+        f"{aot.trivia.comment_ws}"
+        f"{decode(aot.trivia.comment)}"
+        f"{aot.trivia.trail or chr(10)}"
+    )
+
+
 class Container(_CustomDict):  # type: ignore[type-arg]
     """
     A container for items within a TOMLDocument.
@@ -633,8 +703,12 @@ def last_item(self) -> Item | None:
     def as_string(self) -> str:
         """Render as TOML string."""
         s = ""
+        for path, aot in _header_less_aots(self._body):
+            s += _render_empty_aot(path, aot)
         for k, v in self._body:
             if k is not None:
+                if _is_empty_aot(v):
+                    continue
                 if isinstance(v, Table):
                     if (
                         s.strip(" ")
@@ -669,24 +743,8 @@ def _render_table(self, key: Key, table: Table, prefix: str | None = None) -> st
             if prefix is not None:
                 _key = prefix + "." + _key
 
-        if (
-            not table.is_super_table()
-            or (
-                any(
-                    not isinstance(v, (Table, AoT, Whitespace, Null))
-                    for _, v in table.value.body
-                )
-                and not key.is_dotted()
-            )
-            or (
-                any(
-                    k is not None and k.is_dotted()
-                    for k, v in table.value.body
-                    if isinstance(v, Table)
-                )
-                and not key.is_dotted()
-            )
-        ):
+        header_emitted = _emits_header(key, table)
+        if header_emitted:
             open_, close = "[", "]"
             if table.is_aot_element():
                 open_, close = "[[", "]]"
@@ -707,8 +765,15 @@ def _render_table(self, key: Key, table: Table, prefix: str | None = None) -> st
         elif table.trivia.indent == "\n":
             cur += table.trivia.indent
 
+        if header_emitted:
+            # A super table opens no scope, so its fallbacks belong to -- and
+            # were already written by -- the nearest enclosing header instead.
+            for path, aot in _header_less_aots(table.value.body):
+                cur += _render_empty_aot(path, aot)
         for k, v in table.value.body:
-            if isinstance(v, Table):
+            if k is not None and _is_empty_aot(v):
+                continue
+            elif isinstance(v, Table):
                 if (
                     cur.strip(" ")
                     and not cur.strip(" ").endswith("\n")
@@ -767,8 +832,12 @@ def _render_aot_table(self, table: Table, prefix: str | None = None) -> str:
             f"{table.trivia.trail}"
         )
 
+        for path, aot in _header_less_aots(table.value.body):
+            cur += _render_empty_aot(path, aot)
         for k, v in table.value.body:
-            if isinstance(v, Table):
+            if k is not None and _is_empty_aot(v):
+                continue
+            elif isinstance(v, Table):
                 assert k is not None
                 if v.is_super_table():
                     if k.is_dotted():