diff --git a/sql/catalyst/src/main/java/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/expressions/codegen/UnsafeWriter.java b/sql/catalyst/src/main/java/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/expressions/codegen/UnsafeWriter.java
index 53f1ea442cd46..20ec4c2bb0c6c 100644
--- a/sql/catalyst/src/main/java/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/expressions/codegen/UnsafeWriter.java
+++ b/sql/catalyst/src/main/java/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/expressions/codegen/UnsafeWriter.java
@@ -163,6 +163,12 @@ public void write(int ordinal, TimestampNanosVal input) {
     grow(TimestampNanosRowValues.SIZE_IN_BYTES);
     if (input == null) {
       BitSetMethods.set(getBuffer(), startingOffset, ordinal);
+      // Zero the reserved payload so that a null value is byte-identical no matter what stale bytes
+      // the reused buffer holds. The buffer is not cleared between rows, so without this two null
+      // keys can carry different bytes and split into separate groups (a nullable nanosecond
+      // GROUP BY / join key produced several null groups). Mirrors the in-place null-update path
+      // UnsafeRow#setTimestampNanosPayload, which zeroes the payload the same way.
+      TimestampNanosRowValues.zeroPayload(getBuffer(), 0, (int) cursor());
     } else {
       TimestampNanosRowValues.writePayload(
         getBuffer(), 0, (int) cursor(), input.epochMicros, input.nanosWithinMicro);
diff --git a/sql/catalyst/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/expressions/UnsafeRowConverterSuite.scala b/sql/catalyst/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/expressions/UnsafeRowConverterSuite.scala
index 37ef843665fa5..8ffece81a474b 100644
--- a/sql/catalyst/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/expressions/UnsafeRowConverterSuite.scala
+++ b/sql/catalyst/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/expressions/UnsafeRowConverterSuite.scala
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ import org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.InternalRow
 import org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.util._
 import org.apache.spark.sql.types.{IntegerType, LongType, _}
 import org.apache.spark.unsafe.array.ByteArrayMethods
-import org.apache.spark.unsafe.types.{CalendarInterval, UTF8String}
+import org.apache.spark.unsafe.types.{CalendarInterval, TimestampNanosVal, UTF8String}
 import org.apache.spark.util.ArrayImplicits._
 
 class UnsafeRowConverterSuite extends SparkFunSuite with Matchers with ExpressionEvalHelper {
@@ -73,6 +73,35 @@ class UnsafeRowConverterSuite extends SparkFunSuite with Matchers with Expressio
     assert(unsafeRow2.getInt(2) === 2)
   }
 
+  testBothCodegenAndInterpreted(
+      "null nanosecond timestamp keys are byte-identical regardless of prior rows") {
+    // The nanosecond timestamp types occupy a 16-byte variable-length payload. The projection
+    // reuses its output buffer across rows, so a null value must zero that payload; otherwise it
+    // inherits the previous non-null value's bytes and two null rows compare unequal -- which
+    // splits a nullable nanosecond GROUP BY / join key into several null groups.
+    Seq(TimestampNTZNanosType(9), TimestampLTZNanosType(9)).foreach { dt =>
+      val fieldTypes: Array[DataType] = Array(dt)
+      val converter = UnsafeProjection.create(fieldTypes)
+      val row = new SpecificInternalRow(fieldTypes.toImmutableArraySeq)
+
+      // Dirty the reused buffer with one non-null value, then project a null.
+      row.update(0, TimestampNanosVal.fromParts(1234567L, 111.toShort))
+      converter.apply(row)
+      row.setNullAt(0)
+      val nullAfterA = converter.apply(row).copy()
+
+      // Dirty the buffer with a *different* non-null value, then project a null again.
+      row.update(0, TimestampNanosVal.fromParts(987654321L, 222.toShort))
+      converter.apply(row)
+      row.setNullAt(0)
+      val nullAfterB = converter.apply(row).copy()
+
+      assert(nullAfterA.isNullAt(0) && nullAfterB.isNullAt(0))
+      assert(nullAfterA == nullAfterB,
+        s"two null $dt projections must be byte-identical but differed (stale payload)")
+    }
+  }
+
   testBothCodegenAndInterpreted("basic conversion with primitive, string and binary types") {
     val factory = UnsafeProjection
     val fieldTypes: Array[DataType] = Array(LongType, StringType, BinaryType)