diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 1bb34f6a98..eccb531299 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
     "node": ">=18.0.0"
   },
   "dependencies": {
-    "@salesforce/core": "^8.11.0",
+    "@salesforce/core": "^8.11.4",
     "@salesforce/kit": "^3.2.3",
     "@salesforce/ts-types": "^2.0.12",
     "@salesforce/types": "^1.3.0",
diff --git a/src/collections/componentSet.ts b/src/collections/componentSet.ts
index ffce5bb427..9089387b01 100644
--- a/src/collections/componentSet.ts
+++ b/src/collections/componentSet.ts
@@ -81,6 +81,12 @@ export class ComponentSet extends LazyCollection<MetadataComponent> {
   // all components stored here, regardless of what manifest they belong to
   private components = new DecodeableMap<string, DecodeableMap<string, SourceComponent>>();
 
+  // whether this component set is being used for a deploy
+  // @ts-expect-error this is currently not used but could be used in the future
+  private forDeploy = false;
+  // whether this component set is being used for a retrieve
+  private forRetrieve = false;
+
   // internal component maps used by this.getObject() when building manifests.
   private destructiveComponents = {
     [DestructiveChangesType.PRE]: new DecodeableMap<string, DecodeableMap<string, SourceComponent>>(),
@@ -348,6 +354,8 @@ export class ComponentSet extends LazyCollection<MetadataComponent> {
       throw new SfError(messages.getMessage('error_no_source_to_deploy'), 'ComponentSetError');
     }
 
+    this.forDeploy = true;
+
     if (
       typeof options.usernameOrConnection !== 'string' &&
       this.apiVersion &&
@@ -384,6 +392,8 @@ export class ComponentSet extends LazyCollection<MetadataComponent> {
       apiVersion: this.apiVersion,
     });
 
+    this.forRetrieve = true;
+
     if (
       typeof options.usernameOrConnection !== 'string' &&
       this.apiVersion &&
@@ -427,8 +437,9 @@ export class ComponentSet extends LazyCollection<MetadataComponent> {
         .flatMap((c) => c.getChildren())
         .map((child) => addToTypeMap({ typeMap, type: child.type, fullName: child.fullName, destructiveType }));
 
-      // logic: if this is a decomposed type, skip its inclusion in the manifest if the parent is "empty"
+      // logic: if this is a decomposed type not being retrieved, skip its inclusion in the manifest if the parent is "empty"
       if (
+        !this.forRetrieve &&
         type.strategies?.transformer === 'decomposed' &&
         // exclude (ex: CustomObjectTranslation) where there are no addressable children
         Object.values(type.children?.types ?? {}).some((t) => t.unaddressableWithoutParent !== true) &&
diff --git a/test/collections/componentSet.test.ts b/test/collections/componentSet.test.ts
index a595d71814..18055ce86b 100644
--- a/test/collections/componentSet.test.ts
+++ b/test/collections/componentSet.test.ts
@@ -980,7 +980,7 @@ describe('ComponentSet', () => {
       ]);
     });
 
-    it('omits empty parents from the package manifest', async () => {
+    it('omits empty parents from the package manifest when not a retrieve', async () => {
       const set = new ComponentSet([
         DECOMPOSED_CHILD_COMPONENT_1_EMPTY,
         DECOMPOSED_CHILD_COMPONENT_2_EMPTY,
@@ -999,6 +999,30 @@ describe('ComponentSet', () => {
         },
       ]);
     });
+
+    it('does not omit empty parents from the package manifest for retrieves', async () => {
+      const set = new ComponentSet([
+        DECOMPOSED_CHILD_COMPONENT_1_EMPTY,
+        DECOMPOSED_CHILD_COMPONENT_2_EMPTY,
+        DECOMPOSED_COMPONENT_EMPTY,
+      ]);
+      // @ts-expect-error modifying private property
+      set.forRetrieve = true;
+      expect((await set.getObject()).Package.types).to.deep.equal([
+        {
+          name: DECOMPOSED_CHILD_COMPONENT_1_EMPTY.type.name,
+          members: [DECOMPOSED_CHILD_COMPONENT_1_EMPTY.fullName],
+        },
+        {
+          name: DECOMPOSED_COMPONENT_EMPTY.type.name,
+          members: [DECOMPOSED_COMPONENT_EMPTY.fullName],
+        },
+        {
+          name: DECOMPOSED_CHILD_COMPONENT_2_EMPTY.type.name,
+          members: [DECOMPOSED_CHILD_COMPONENT_2_EMPTY.fullName],
+        },
+      ]);
+    });
   });
 
   describe('getPackageXml', () => {
diff --git a/test/snapshot/sampleProjects/customObjects-and-children/__snapshots__/verify-md-files-deploy.expected/deployOutput/mdapi/objects/Broker__c.object b/test/snapshot/sampleProjects/customObjects-and-children/__snapshots__/verify-md-files-deploy.expected/deployOutput/mdapi/objects/Broker__c.object
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b548e844da
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/snapshot/sampleProjects/customObjects-and-children/__snapshots__/verify-md-files-deploy.expected/deployOutput/mdapi/objects/Broker__c.object
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+<CustomObject xmlns="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">
+    <fields>
+        <fullName>Title__c</fullName>
+        <externalId>false</externalId>
+        <label>Title</label>
+        <length>30</length>
+        <required>false</required>
+        <trackTrending>false</trackTrending>
+        <type>Text</type>
+        <unique>false</unique>
+    </fields>
+</CustomObject>
diff --git a/test/snapshot/sampleProjects/customObjects-and-children/__snapshots__/verify-md-files-deploy.expected/deployOutput/mdapi/package.xml b/test/snapshot/sampleProjects/customObjects-and-children/__snapshots__/verify-md-files-deploy.expected/deployOutput/mdapi/package.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d5ae24300e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/snapshot/sampleProjects/customObjects-and-children/__snapshots__/verify-md-files-deploy.expected/deployOutput/mdapi/package.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+<Package xmlns="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">
+    <types>
+        <members>Broker__c.Title__c</members>
+        <name>CustomField</name>
+    </types>
+    <version>59.0</version>
+</Package>
diff --git a/test/snapshot/sampleProjects/customObjects-and-children/__snapshots__/verify-md-files-retrieve.expected/retrieveOutput/mdapi/objects/Broker__c.object b/test/snapshot/sampleProjects/customObjects-and-children/__snapshots__/verify-md-files-retrieve.expected/retrieveOutput/mdapi/objects/Broker__c.object
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b548e844da
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/snapshot/sampleProjects/customObjects-and-children/__snapshots__/verify-md-files-retrieve.expected/retrieveOutput/mdapi/objects/Broker__c.object
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+<CustomObject xmlns="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">
+    <fields>
+        <fullName>Title__c</fullName>
+        <externalId>false</externalId>
+        <label>Title</label>
+        <length>30</length>
+        <required>false</required>
+        <trackTrending>false</trackTrending>
+        <type>Text</type>
+        <unique>false</unique>
+    </fields>
+</CustomObject>
diff --git a/test/snapshot/sampleProjects/customObjects-and-children/__snapshots__/verify-md-files-retrieve.expected/retrieveOutput/mdapi/package.xml b/test/snapshot/sampleProjects/customObjects-and-children/__snapshots__/verify-md-files-retrieve.expected/retrieveOutput/mdapi/package.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5824824f46
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/snapshot/sampleProjects/customObjects-and-children/__snapshots__/verify-md-files-retrieve.expected/retrieveOutput/mdapi/package.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+<Package xmlns="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">
+    <types>
+        <members>Broker__c.Title__c</members>
+        <name>CustomField</name>
+    </types>
+    <types>
+        <members>Broker__c</members>
+        <name>CustomObject</name>
+    </types>
+    <version>59.0</version>
+</Package>
diff --git a/test/snapshot/sampleProjects/customObjects-and-children/originalMdapi2/objects/Broker__c.object b/test/snapshot/sampleProjects/customObjects-and-children/originalMdapi2/objects/Broker__c.object
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b548e844da
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/snapshot/sampleProjects/customObjects-and-children/originalMdapi2/objects/Broker__c.object
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+<CustomObject xmlns="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">
+    <fields>
+        <fullName>Title__c</fullName>
+        <externalId>false</externalId>
+        <label>Title</label>
+        <length>30</length>
+        <required>false</required>
+        <trackTrending>false</trackTrending>
+        <type>Text</type>
+        <unique>false</unique>
+    </fields>
+</CustomObject>
diff --git a/test/snapshot/sampleProjects/customObjects-and-children/originalMdapi2/package.xml b/test/snapshot/sampleProjects/customObjects-and-children/originalMdapi2/package.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ff353e1677
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/snapshot/sampleProjects/customObjects-and-children/originalMdapi2/package.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+<Package xmlns="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">
+    <types>
+        <members>Broker__c.Title__c</members>
+        <name>CustomField</name>
+    </types>
+    <version>63.0</version>
+</Package>
diff --git a/test/snapshot/sampleProjects/customObjects-and-children/snapshots.test.ts b/test/snapshot/sampleProjects/customObjects-and-children/snapshots.test.ts
index 8c9524e2b0..617cf7876d 100644
--- a/test/snapshot/sampleProjects/customObjects-and-children/snapshots.test.ts
+++ b/test/snapshot/sampleProjects/customObjects-and-children/snapshots.test.ts
@@ -9,11 +9,14 @@ import * as path from 'node:path';
 import {
   FORCE_APP,
   MDAPI_OUT,
+  dirEntsToPaths,
   dirsAreIdentical,
   fileSnap,
   mdapiToSource,
   sourceToMdapi,
 } from '../../helper/conversions';
+import { MetadataConverter } from '../../../../src/convert/metadataConverter';
+import { ComponentSetBuilder } from '../../../../src/collections/componentSetBuilder';
 
 // we don't want failing tests outputting over each other
 /* eslint-disable no-await-in-loop */
@@ -49,3 +52,138 @@ describe('Custom objects and children', () => {
     ]);
   });
 });
+
+/** Return only the files involved in the conversion */
+const getConvertedFilePaths = async (outputDir: string): Promise<string[]> =>
+  dirEntsToPaths(
+    await fs.promises.readdir(outputDir, {
+      recursive: true,
+      withFileTypes: true,
+    })
+  );
+
+describe('CustomField with empty CustomObject - retrieve', () => {
+  const testDir = path.join('test', 'snapshot', 'sampleProjects', 'customObjects-and-children');
+
+  // The directory of snapshots containing expected conversion results
+  const snapshotsDir = path.join(testDir, '__snapshots__');
+
+  // MDAPI format of the original source
+  const sourceDir = path.join(testDir, 'originalMdapi2');
+
+  // The directory where metadata is converted as part of retrieve testing
+  const retrieveOutput = path.join(testDir, 'retrieveOutput');
+
+  // This test verifies that 1 custom field with an empty parent
+  // does not omit the parent from the package manifest for a retrieve when
+  // converting from source to mdapi.
+  it('verify md files retrieve', async () => {
+    const cs = await ComponentSetBuilder.build({
+      metadata: {
+        metadataEntries: ['CustomObject:Broker__c'],
+        directoryPaths: [sourceDir],
+      },
+      projectDir: testDir,
+    });
+
+    const sourceOutputDir = path.join(retrieveOutput, 'source');
+    const mdOutputDir = path.join(retrieveOutput, 'mdapi');
+
+    await new MetadataConverter().convert(cs, 'source', {
+      type: 'directory',
+      outputDirectory: sourceOutputDir,
+      genUniqueDir: false,
+    });
+
+    const cs2 = await ComponentSetBuilder.build({
+      metadata: {
+        metadataEntries: ['CustomObject:Broker__c'],
+        directoryPaths: [sourceOutputDir],
+      },
+      projectDir: testDir,
+    });
+
+    // @ts-expect-error modifying private property
+    cs2.forRetrieve = true;
+
+    await new MetadataConverter().convert(cs2, 'metadata', {
+      type: 'directory',
+      outputDirectory: mdOutputDir,
+      genUniqueDir: false,
+    });
+
+    const convertedFiles = await getConvertedFilePaths(mdOutputDir);
+    for (const file of convertedFiles) {
+      await fileSnap(file, testDir);
+    }
+    const expectedOutputDir = path.join(snapshotsDir, 'verify-md-files-retrieve.expected', 'retrieveOutput', 'mdapi');
+    await dirsAreIdentical(expectedOutputDir, mdOutputDir);
+  });
+
+  after(async () => {
+    await Promise.all([fs.promises.rm(retrieveOutput, { recursive: true, force: true })]);
+  });
+});
+
+describe('CustomField with empty CustomObject - deploy', () => {
+  const testDir = path.join('test', 'snapshot', 'sampleProjects', 'customObjects-and-children');
+
+  // The directory of snapshots containing expected conversion results
+  const snapshotsDir = path.join(testDir, '__snapshots__');
+
+  // MDAPI format of the original source
+  const sourceDir = path.join(testDir, 'originalMdapi2');
+
+  // The directory where metadata is converted as part of deploy testing
+  const deployOutput = path.join(testDir, 'deployOutput');
+
+  // This test verifies that 1 custom field with an empty parent
+  // omits the parent from the package manifest for a deploy when
+  // converting from source to mdapi.
+  it('verify md files deploy', async () => {
+    const cs = await ComponentSetBuilder.build({
+      metadata: {
+        metadataEntries: ['CustomObject:Broker__c'],
+        directoryPaths: [sourceDir],
+      },
+      projectDir: testDir,
+    });
+
+    const sourceOutputDir = path.join(deployOutput, 'source');
+    const mdOutputDir = path.join(deployOutput, 'mdapi');
+
+    await new MetadataConverter().convert(cs, 'source', {
+      type: 'directory',
+      outputDirectory: sourceOutputDir,
+      genUniqueDir: false,
+    });
+
+    const cs2 = await ComponentSetBuilder.build({
+      metadata: {
+        metadataEntries: ['CustomObject:Broker__c'],
+        directoryPaths: [sourceOutputDir],
+      },
+      projectDir: testDir,
+    });
+
+    // @ts-expect-error modifying private property
+    cs2.forDeploy = true;
+
+    await new MetadataConverter().convert(cs2, 'metadata', {
+      type: 'directory',
+      outputDirectory: mdOutputDir,
+      genUniqueDir: false,
+    });
+
+    const convertedFiles = await getConvertedFilePaths(mdOutputDir);
+    for (const file of convertedFiles) {
+      await fileSnap(file, testDir);
+    }
+    const expectedOutputDir = path.join(snapshotsDir, 'verify-md-files-deploy.expected', 'deployOutput', 'mdapi');
+    await dirsAreIdentical(expectedOutputDir, mdOutputDir);
+  });
+
+  after(async () => {
+    await Promise.all([fs.promises.rm(deployOutput, { recursive: true, force: true })]);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index cd7030c568..3765fa1c39 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -604,6 +604,22 @@
     node-fetch "^2.6.1"
     xml2js "^0.6.2"
 
+"@jsforce/jsforce-node@^3.8.2":
+  version "3.8.2"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@jsforce/jsforce-node/-/jsforce-node-3.8.2.tgz#68b903f6733ae479086ab02ea4a2de87a7f208eb"
+  integrity sha512-ewaRr9JnZRW6I28C/TzUnv5p70zMrWsKCq2ovRW6X557/ikdfvA24F9k4cQXZnTG2lZLEfVn+WwdBGEtY7pPnQ==
+  dependencies:
+    "@sindresorhus/is" "^4"
+    base64url "^3.0.1"
+    csv-parse "^5.5.2"
+    csv-stringify "^6.4.4"
+    faye "^1.4.0"
+    form-data "^4.0.0"
+    https-proxy-agent "^5.0.0"
+    multistream "^3.1.0"
+    node-fetch "^2.6.1"
+    xml2js "^0.6.2"
+
 "@nodelib/fs.scandir@2.1.5":
   version "2.1.5"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@nodelib/fs.scandir/-/fs.scandir-2.1.5.tgz#7619c2eb21b25483f6d167548b4cfd5a7488c3d5"
@@ -670,12 +686,12 @@
     semver "^7.6.3"
     ts-retry-promise "^0.8.1"
 
-"@salesforce/core@^8.11.0":
-  version "8.11.0"
-  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@salesforce/core/-/core-8.11.0.tgz#23d5ddcc318008230258ab449e70a26f671123c2"
-  integrity sha512-S4UgHKUy1hykRQVaoYm+LSktQgRhI3ltAUoLGI25/Q8gYokERTa2E7MpPMb+X/kTpjJJvDlnQqelB/sQJs/AKA==
+"@salesforce/core@^8.11.4":
+  version "8.11.4"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@salesforce/core/-/core-8.11.4.tgz#e4f049351540a46e12bb5c1b6574232fd4d1288b"
+  integrity sha512-6jrACrCmpic7mrnp4XQ6tiyx5FvHs101dQ2v+m8+aHF97036bul+GeeYuSjVp3ASh0sjR5CotYf7R65chd4H+A==
   dependencies:
-    "@jsforce/jsforce-node" "^3.8.1"
+    "@jsforce/jsforce-node" "^3.8.2"
     "@salesforce/kit" "^3.2.2"
     "@salesforce/schemas" "^1.9.0"
     "@salesforce/ts-types" "^2.0.10"
@@ -687,9 +703,9 @@
     js2xmlparser "^4.0.1"
     jsonwebtoken "9.0.2"
     jszip "3.10.1"
-    pino "^9.4.0"
+    pino "^9.7.0"
     pino-abstract-transport "^1.2.0"
-    pino-pretty "^11.2.2"
+    pino-pretty "^11.3.0"
     proper-lockfile "^4.1.2"
     semver "^7.6.3"
     ts-retry-promise "^0.8.1"
@@ -4589,6 +4605,13 @@ pino-abstract-transport@^1.0.0, pino-abstract-transport@^1.2.0:
     readable-stream "^4.0.0"
     split2 "^4.0.0"
 
+pino-abstract-transport@^2.0.0:
+  version "2.0.0"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/pino-abstract-transport/-/pino-abstract-transport-2.0.0.tgz#de241578406ac7b8a33ce0d77ae6e8a0b3b68a60"
+  integrity sha512-F63x5tizV6WCh4R6RHyi2Ml+M70DNRXt/+HANowMflpgGFMAym/VKm6G7ZOQRjqN7XbGxK1Lg9t6ZrtzOaivMw==
+  dependencies:
+    split2 "^4.0.0"
+
 pino-pretty@^11.2.2:
   version "11.2.2"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/pino-pretty/-/pino-pretty-11.2.2.tgz#5e8ec69b31e90eb187715af07b1d29a544e60d39"
@@ -4609,6 +4632,26 @@ pino-pretty@^11.2.2:
     sonic-boom "^4.0.1"
     strip-json-comments "^3.1.1"
 
+pino-pretty@^11.3.0:
+  version "11.3.0"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/pino-pretty/-/pino-pretty-11.3.0.tgz#390b3be044cf3d2e9192c7d19d44f6b690468f2e"
+  integrity sha512-oXwn7ICywaZPHmu3epHGU2oJX4nPmKvHvB/bwrJHlGcbEWaVcotkpyVHMKLKmiVryWYByNp0jpgAcXpFJDXJzA==
+  dependencies:
+    colorette "^2.0.7"
+    dateformat "^4.6.3"
+    fast-copy "^3.0.2"
+    fast-safe-stringify "^2.1.1"
+    help-me "^5.0.0"
+    joycon "^3.1.1"
+    minimist "^1.2.6"
+    on-exit-leak-free "^2.1.0"
+    pino-abstract-transport "^2.0.0"
+    pump "^3.0.0"
+    readable-stream "^4.0.0"
+    secure-json-parse "^2.4.0"
+    sonic-boom "^4.0.1"
+    strip-json-comments "^3.1.1"
+
 pino-std-serializers@^7.0.0:
   version "7.0.0"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/pino-std-serializers/-/pino-std-serializers-7.0.0.tgz#7c625038b13718dbbd84ab446bd673dc52259e3b"
@@ -4631,6 +4674,23 @@ pino@^9.4.0:
     sonic-boom "^4.0.1"
     thread-stream "^3.0.0"
 
+pino@^9.7.0:
+  version "9.7.0"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/pino/-/pino-9.7.0.tgz#ff7cd86eb3103ee620204dbd5ca6ffda8b53f645"
+  integrity sha512-vnMCM6xZTb1WDmLvtG2lE/2p+t9hDEIvTWJsu6FejkE62vB7gDhvzrpFR4Cw2to+9JNQxVnkAKVPA1KPB98vWg==
+  dependencies:
+    atomic-sleep "^1.0.0"
+    fast-redact "^3.1.1"
+    on-exit-leak-free "^2.1.0"
+    pino-abstract-transport "^2.0.0"
+    pino-std-serializers "^7.0.0"
+    process-warning "^5.0.0"
+    quick-format-unescaped "^4.0.3"
+    real-require "^0.2.0"
+    safe-stable-stringify "^2.3.1"
+    sonic-boom "^4.0.1"
+    thread-stream "^3.0.0"
+
 pkg-dir@^4.1.0:
   version "4.2.0"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/pkg-dir/-/pkg-dir-4.2.0.tgz#f099133df7ede422e81d1d8448270eeb3e4261f3"
@@ -4683,6 +4743,11 @@ process-warning@^4.0.0:
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/process-warning/-/process-warning-4.0.0.tgz#581e3a7a1fb456c5f4fd239f76bce75897682d5a"
   integrity sha512-/MyYDxttz7DfGMMHiysAsFE4qF+pQYAA8ziO/3NcRVrQ5fSk+Mns4QZA/oRPFzvcqNoVJXQNWNAsdwBXLUkQKw==
 
+process-warning@^5.0.0:
+  version "5.0.0"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/process-warning/-/process-warning-5.0.0.tgz#566e0bf79d1dff30a72d8bbbe9e8ecefe8d378d7"
+  integrity sha512-a39t9ApHNx2L4+HBnQKqxxHNs1r7KF+Intd8Q/g1bUh6q0WIp9voPXJ/x0j+ZL45KF1pJd9+q2jLIRMfvEshkA==
+
 process@^0.11.10:
   version "0.11.10"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/process/-/process-0.11.10.tgz#7332300e840161bda3e69a1d1d91a7d4bc16f182"