diff --git a/netbox/dcim/api/serializers_/sites.py b/netbox/dcim/api/serializers_/sites.py
index e2ae243cf..60e1477e5 100644
--- a/netbox/dcim/api/serializers_/sites.py
+++ b/netbox/dcim/api/serializers_/sites.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ __all__ = (
 class RegionSerializer(NestedGroupModelSerializer):
     url = serializers.HyperlinkedIdentityField(view_name='dcim-api:region-detail')
     parent = NestedRegionSerializer(required=False, allow_null=True, default=None)
-    site_count = serializers.IntegerField(read_only=True)
+    site_count = serializers.IntegerField(read_only=True, default=0)
 
     class Meta:
         model = Region
@@ -31,17 +31,11 @@ class RegionSerializer(NestedGroupModelSerializer):
         ]
         brief_fields = ('id', 'url', 'display', 'name', 'slug', 'description', 'site_count', '_depth')
 
-    def create(self, request, *args, **kwargs):
-        # this is required as site_count is added in the view with add_related_count
-        instance = super().create(request, *args, **kwargs)
-        instance.site_count = 0
-        return instance
-
 
 class SiteGroupSerializer(NestedGroupModelSerializer):
     url = serializers.HyperlinkedIdentityField(view_name='dcim-api:sitegroup-detail')
     parent = NestedSiteGroupSerializer(required=False, allow_null=True, default=None)
-    site_count = serializers.IntegerField(read_only=True)
+    site_count = serializers.IntegerField(read_only=True, default=0)
 
     class Meta:
         model = SiteGroup
@@ -51,12 +45,6 @@ class SiteGroupSerializer(NestedGroupModelSerializer):
         ]
         brief_fields = ('id', 'url', 'display', 'name', 'slug', 'description', 'site_count', '_depth')
 
-    def create(self, request, *args, **kwargs):
-        # this is required as site_count is added in the view with add_related_count
-        instance = super().create(request, *args, **kwargs)
-        instance.site_count = 0
-        return instance
-
 
 class SiteSerializer(NetBoxModelSerializer):
     url = serializers.HyperlinkedIdentityField(view_name='dcim-api:site-detail')
@@ -98,8 +86,8 @@ class LocationSerializer(NestedGroupModelSerializer):
     parent = NestedLocationSerializer(required=False, allow_null=True, default=None)
     status = ChoiceField(choices=LocationStatusChoices, required=False)
     tenant = TenantSerializer(nested=True, required=False, allow_null=True)
-    rack_count = serializers.IntegerField(read_only=True)
-    device_count = serializers.IntegerField(read_only=True)
+    rack_count = serializers.IntegerField(read_only=True, default=0)
+    device_count = serializers.IntegerField(read_only=True, default=0)
 
     class Meta:
         model = Location
@@ -108,9 +96,3 @@ class LocationSerializer(NestedGroupModelSerializer):
             'tags', 'custom_fields', 'created', 'last_updated', 'rack_count', 'device_count', '_depth',
         ]
         brief_fields = ('id', 'url', 'display', 'name', 'slug', 'description', 'rack_count', '_depth')
-
-    def create(self, request, *args, **kwargs):
-        # this is required as rack_count is added in the view with add_related_count
-        instance = super().create(request, *args, **kwargs)
-        instance.rack_count = 0
-        return instance
diff --git a/netbox/tenancy/api/serializers_/contacts.py b/netbox/tenancy/api/serializers_/contacts.py
index c4f41b7f6..857479958 100644
--- a/netbox/tenancy/api/serializers_/contacts.py
+++ b/netbox/tenancy/api/serializers_/contacts.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ __all__ = (
 class ContactGroupSerializer(NestedGroupModelSerializer):
     url = serializers.HyperlinkedIdentityField(view_name='tenancy-api:contactgroup-detail')
     parent = NestedContactGroupSerializer(required=False, allow_null=True, default=None)
-    contact_count = serializers.IntegerField(read_only=True)
+    contact_count = serializers.IntegerField(read_only=True, default=0)
 
     class Meta:
         model = ContactGroup
@@ -31,12 +31,6 @@ class ContactGroupSerializer(NestedGroupModelSerializer):
         ]
         brief_fields = ('id', 'url', 'display', 'name', 'slug', 'description', 'contact_count', '_depth')
 
-    def create(self, request, *args, **kwargs):
-        # this is required as contact_count is added in the view with add_related_count
-        instance = super().create(request, *args, **kwargs)
-        instance.contact_count = 0
-        return instance
-
 
 class ContactRoleSerializer(NetBoxModelSerializer):
     url = serializers.HyperlinkedIdentityField(view_name='tenancy-api:contactrole-detail')
diff --git a/netbox/tenancy/api/serializers_/tenants.py b/netbox/tenancy/api/serializers_/tenants.py
index ac604b22b..3ff489be1 100644
--- a/netbox/tenancy/api/serializers_/tenants.py
+++ b/netbox/tenancy/api/serializers_/tenants.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ __all__ = (
 class TenantGroupSerializer(NestedGroupModelSerializer):
     url = serializers.HyperlinkedIdentityField(view_name='tenancy-api:tenantgroup-detail')
     parent = NestedTenantGroupSerializer(required=False, allow_null=True)
-    tenant_count = serializers.IntegerField(read_only=True)
+    tenant_count = serializers.IntegerField(read_only=True, default=0)
 
     class Meta:
         model = TenantGroup
@@ -24,12 +24,6 @@ class TenantGroupSerializer(NestedGroupModelSerializer):
         ]
         brief_fields = ('id', 'url', 'display', 'name', 'slug', 'description', 'tenant_count', '_depth')
 
-    def create(self, request, *args, **kwargs):
-        # this is required as tenant_count is added in the view with add_related_count
-        instance = super().create(request, *args, **kwargs)
-        instance.tenant_count = 0
-        return instance
-
 
 class TenantSerializer(NetBoxModelSerializer):
     url = serializers.HyperlinkedIdentityField(view_name='tenancy-api:tenant-detail')
diff --git a/netbox/wireless/api/serializers_/wirelesslans.py b/netbox/wireless/api/serializers_/wirelesslans.py
index 07ffa2d1b..a47a2d92c 100644
--- a/netbox/wireless/api/serializers_/wirelesslans.py
+++ b/netbox/wireless/api/serializers_/wirelesslans.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ __all__ = (
 class WirelessLANGroupSerializer(NestedGroupModelSerializer):
     url = serializers.HyperlinkedIdentityField(view_name='wireless-api:wirelesslangroup-detail')
     parent = NestedWirelessLANGroupSerializer(required=False, allow_null=True, default=None)
-    wirelesslan_count = serializers.IntegerField(read_only=True)
+    wirelesslan_count = serializers.IntegerField(read_only=True, default=0)
 
     class Meta:
         model = WirelessLANGroup
@@ -27,12 +27,6 @@ class WirelessLANGroupSerializer(NestedGroupModelSerializer):
         ]
         brief_fields = ('id', 'url', 'display', 'name', 'slug', 'description', 'wirelesslan_count', '_depth')
 
-    def create(self, request, *args, **kwargs):
-        # this is required as wirelesslan_count is added in the view with add_related_count
-        instance = super().create(request, *args, **kwargs)
-        instance.wirelesslan_count = 0
-        return instance
-
 
 class WirelessLANSerializer(NetBoxModelSerializer):
     url = serializers.HyperlinkedIdentityField(view_name='wireless-api:wirelesslan-detail')