diff --git a/bigquery/google/cloud/bigquery/table.py b/bigquery/google/cloud/bigquery/table.py
index 3b0346f60cdf..fc17c5b9a009 100644
--- a/bigquery/google/cloud/bigquery/table.py
+++ b/bigquery/google/cloud/bigquery/table.py
@@ -473,8 +473,9 @@ def _build_resource(self):
             resource['schema'] = {
                 'fields': _build_schema_resource(self._schema)
             }
-        else:
-            raise ValueError("Set either 'view_query' or 'schema'.")
+        elif self.partitioning_type is None:
+            raise ValueError(
+                "Set either 'view_query' or 'schema' or 'partitioning_type'.")
 
         return resource
 
diff --git a/bigquery/tests/unit/test_table.py b/bigquery/tests/unit/test_table.py
index 6a496ba69e95..bd6a023614ce 100644
--- a/bigquery/tests/unit/test_table.py
+++ b/bigquery/tests/unit/test_table.py
@@ -395,7 +395,7 @@ def test_from_api_repr_w_properties(self):
         self.assertIs(table._dataset._client, client)
         self._verifyResourceProperties(table, RESOURCE)
 
-    def test_create_no_view_query_no_schema(self):
+    def test_create_no_view_query_no_schema_no_partitioning(self):
         conn = _Connection()
         client = _Client(project=self.PROJECT, connection=conn)
         dataset = _Dataset(client)
@@ -403,6 +403,30 @@ def test_create_no_view_query_no_schema(self):
 
         with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
             table.create()
+            
+    def test_create_new_day_partitioned_table(self):
+        PATH = 'projects/%s/datasets/%s/tables' % (self.PROJECT, self.DS_NAME)
+        RESOURCE = self._makeResource()
+        conn = _Connection(RESOURCE)
+        client = _Client(project=self.PROJECT, connection=conn)
+        dataset = _Dataset(client)
+        table = self._make_one(self.TABLE_NAME, dataset)
+        table.partitioning_type = 'DAY'
+        table.create()            
+
+        self.assertEqual(len(conn._requested), 1)
+        req = conn._requested[0]
+        self.assertEqual(req['method'], 'POST')
+        self.assertEqual(req['path'], '/%s' % PATH)
+        SENT = {
+            'tableReference': {
+                'projectId': self.PROJECT,
+                'datasetId': self.DS_NAME,
+                'tableId': self.TABLE_NAME},
+            'timePartitioning': {'type': 'DAY'},
+        }
+        self.assertEqual(req['data'], SENT)
+        self._verifyResourceProperties(table, RESOURCE)
 
     def test_create_w_bound_client(self):
         from google.cloud.bigquery.table import SchemaField