diff --git a/pyiceberg/table/name_mapping.py b/pyiceberg/table/name_mapping.py
index eaf5fc855d..efd1e7cb4b 100644
--- a/pyiceberg/table/name_mapping.py
+++ b/pyiceberg/table/name_mapping.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
 
 
 class MappedField(IcebergBaseModel):
-    field_id: int = Field(alias="field-id")
+    field_id: Optional[int] = Field(alias="field-id", default=None)
     names: List[str] = conlist(str)
     fields: List[MappedField] = Field(default_factory=list)
 
@@ -49,9 +49,10 @@ def convert_null_to_empty_List(cls, v: Any) -> Any:
     @model_serializer
     def ser_model(self) -> Dict[str, Any]:
         """Set custom serializer to leave out the field when it is empty."""
+        field_id = {"field-id": self.field_id} if self.field_id is not None else {}
         fields = {"fields": self.fields} if len(self.fields) > 0 else {}
         return {
-            "field-id": self.field_id,
+            **field_id,
             "names": self.names,
             **fields,
         }
@@ -65,7 +66,8 @@ def __str__(self) -> str:
         # Otherwise the UTs fail because the order of the set can change
         fields_str = ", ".join([str(e) for e in self.fields]) or ""
         fields_str = " " + fields_str if fields_str else ""
-        return "([" + ", ".join(self.names) + "] -> " + (str(self.field_id) or "?") + fields_str + ")"
+        field_id = "?" if self.field_id is None else (str(self.field_id) or "?")
+        return "([" + ", ".join(self.names) + "] -> " + field_id + fields_str + ")"
 
 
 class NameMapping(IcebergRootModel[List[MappedField]]):
@@ -232,7 +234,9 @@ def mapping(self, nm: NameMapping, field_results: List[MappedField]) -> List[Map
 
     def fields(self, struct: List[MappedField], field_results: List[MappedField]) -> List[MappedField]:
         reassignments: Dict[str, int] = {
-            update.name: update.field_id for f in field_results if (update := self._updates.get(f.field_id))
+            update.name: update.field_id
+            for f in field_results
+            if f.field_id is not None and (update := self._updates.get(f.field_id))
         }
         return [
             updated_field
@@ -241,6 +245,8 @@ def fields(self, struct: List[MappedField], field_results: List[MappedField]) ->
         ]
 
     def field(self, field: MappedField, field_result: List[MappedField]) -> MappedField:
+        if field.field_id is None:
+            return field
         field_names = field.names
         if (update := self._updates.get(field.field_id)) is not None and update.name not in field_names:
             field_names.append(update.name)
@@ -333,8 +339,8 @@ def struct(self, struct: StructType, struct_partner: Optional[MappedField], fiel
         return StructType(*field_results)
 
     def field(self, field: NestedField, field_partner: Optional[MappedField], field_result: IcebergType) -> IcebergType:
-        if field_partner is None:
-            raise ValueError(f"Field missing from NameMapping: {'.'.join(self.current_path)}")
+        if field_partner is None or field_partner.field_id is None:
+            raise ValueError(f"Field or field ID missing from NameMapping: {'.'.join(self.current_path)}")
 
         return NestedField(
             field_id=field_partner.field_id,
diff --git a/tests/table/test_name_mapping.py b/tests/table/test_name_mapping.py
index 647644fa98..0aee052a53 100644
--- a/tests/table/test_name_mapping.py
+++ b/tests/table/test_name_mapping.py
@@ -109,6 +109,21 @@ def test_json_mapped_field_no_names_deserialization() -> None:
     assert MappedField(field_id=1, names=[]) == MappedField.model_validate_json(mapped_field_with_null_fields)
 
 
+def test_json_mapped_field_no_field_id_deserialization() -> None:
+    mapped_field = """{
+        "names": []
+    }
+    """
+    assert MappedField(field_id=None, names=[]) == MappedField.model_validate_json(mapped_field)
+
+    mapped_field_with_null_fields = """{
+        "names": [],
+        "fields": null
+    }
+    """
+    assert MappedField(names=[]) == MappedField.model_validate_json(mapped_field_with_null_fields)
+
+
 def test_json_name_mapping_deserialization() -> None:
     name_mapping = """
 [
@@ -164,6 +179,19 @@ def test_json_name_mapping_deserialization() -> None:
     ])
 
 
+def test_json_mapped_field_no_field_id_serialization() -> None:
+    table_name_mapping_nested_no_field_id = NameMapping([
+        MappedField(field_id=1, names=["foo"]),
+        MappedField(field_id=None, names=["bar"]),
+        MappedField(field_id=2, names=["qux"], fields=[MappedField(field_id=None, names=["element"])]),
+    ])
+
+    assert (
+        table_name_mapping_nested_no_field_id.model_dump_json()
+        == """[{"field-id":1,"names":["foo"]},{"names":["bar"]},{"field-id":2,"names":["qux"],"fields":[{"names":["element"]}]}]"""
+    )
+
+
 def test_json_serialization(table_name_mapping_nested: NameMapping) -> None:
     assert (
         table_name_mapping_nested.model_dump_json()