diff --git a/merger/mergers.py b/merger/mergers.py
index c3059996..3847d157 100644
--- a/merger/mergers.py
+++ b/merger/mergers.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 from requests.exceptions import ConnectionError
 
+from pisces import settings
+
 from .helpers import (ArchivesSpaceHelper, MissingArchivalObjectError,
                       add_group, closest_creators, closest_parent_value,
                       combine_references, handle_cartographer_reference,
@@ -202,7 +204,7 @@ def get_archivesspace_data(self, object, object_type):
         if not object.get("extents"):
             extent_data = self.parse_instances(object["instances"])
             if object_type == "archival_object_collection" and not extent_data:
-                extent_data = closest_parent_value(object, "extents")
+                extent_data = settings.INHERIT_EXTENT and [{'value': None, "type": None}] or closest_parent_value(object, "extents")
             data["extents"] = extent_data
         if object_type == "archival_object_collection":
             data["linked_agents"] = closest_creators(object)
diff --git a/pisces/config.py.deploy b/pisces/config.py.deploy
index 1b8e4539..43b360d9 100644
--- a/pisces/config.py.deploy
+++ b/pisces/config.py.deploy
@@ -41,3 +41,4 @@ TERM_SCHEMA = "${TERM_SCHEMA}"
 NOTIFY_EMAIL = ${NOTIFY_EMAIL}
 NOTIFY_TEAMS = ${NOTIFY_TEAMS}
 TEAMS_URL = "${TEAMS_URL}"
+INHERIT_EXTENT = ${INHERIT_EXTENT}
diff --git a/pisces/config.py.example b/pisces/config.py.example
index fcf26c78..b7062e68 100644
--- a/pisces/config.py.example
+++ b/pisces/config.py.example
@@ -41,3 +41,4 @@ TERM_SCHEMA = "term.json" # Filename for schema against which transformed terms
 NOTIFY_EMAIL = True  # deliver error messages via email (boolean)
 NOTIFY_TEAMS = False  # deliver error message via Microsoft Teams (boolean)
 TEAMS_URL = "https://teams-url.com"  # URL for Incoming Webhook Connector in Microsoft Teams Channel
+INHERIT_EXTENT = True # Configure whether extents are inherited down a collection hierarchy (boolean)
diff --git a/pisces/settings.py b/pisces/settings.py
index 8d35b292..c97aa0a2 100644
--- a/pisces/settings.py
+++ b/pisces/settings.py
@@ -207,3 +207,5 @@
 MANIFEST_BASEURL = config.MANIFEST_BASEURL
 
 DEFAULT_AUTO_FIELD = 'django.db.models.AutoField'
+# Data attribute inheritance configuration
+INHERIT_EXTENT = config.INHERIT_EXTENT
diff --git a/transformer/resources/rac.py b/transformer/resources/rac.py
index 9750cf02..1e29f804 100644
--- a/transformer/resources/rac.py
+++ b/transformer/resources/rac.py
@@ -67,8 +67,8 @@ class Date(odin.Resource):
 
 class Extent(odin.Resource):
     """Records the size of an aggregation of archival records."""
-    value = odin.StringField()
-    type = odin.StringField()
+    value = odin.StringField(null=True)
+    type = odin.StringField(null=True)
 
 
 class FileObject(odin.Resource):
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ class Object(BaseResource):
     category = odin.StringField(default="collection")
     dates = odin.ArrayOf(Date)
     languages = odin.ArrayOf(Language)
-    extents = odin.ArrayOf(Extent)
+    extents = odin.ArrayOf(Extent, null=True)
     notes = odin.ArrayOf(Note)
     people = odin.ArrayOf(AgentReference)
     organizations = odin.ArrayOf(AgentReference)
diff --git a/transformer/resources/source.py b/transformer/resources/source.py
index d59c1f50..ee5a5c3f 100644
--- a/transformer/resources/source.py
+++ b/transformer/resources/source.py
@@ -73,10 +73,10 @@ class SourceDigitalObject(odin.Resource):
 
 class SourceExtent(odin.Resource):
     """Records the size of an aggregation of archival records."""
-    number = odin.StringField()
+    number = odin.StringField(null=True)
     container_summary = odin.StringField(null=True)
     portion = odin.StringField(choices=(('whole', 'Whole'), ('part', 'Part'))),
-    extent_type = odin.StringField()
+    extent_type = odin.StringField(null=True)
 
 
 class SourceExternalId(odin.Resource):
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ class Meta:
     )
 
     dates = odin.ArrayOf(SourceDate)
-    extents = odin.ArrayOf(SourceExtent)
+    extents = odin.ArrayOf(SourceExtent, null=True)
     external_ids = odin.ArrayOf(SourceExternalId)
     group = odin.DictAs(SourceGroup)
     jsonmodel_type = odin.StringField(choices=COMPONENT_TYPES)