diff --git a/crates/store/re_types/definitions/rerun/components/rotation_axis_angle.fbs b/crates/store/re_types/definitions/rerun/components/rotation_axis_angle.fbs
index 2b0b5c0d2a17..9254a35c3ea8 100644
--- a/crates/store/re_types/definitions/rerun/components/rotation_axis_angle.fbs
+++ b/crates/store/re_types/definitions/rerun/components/rotation_axis_angle.fbs
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@ namespace rerun.components;
 
 /// 3D rotation represented by a rotation around a given axis.
 ///
-/// If normalization of the rotation axis fails the rotation is treated as an invalid transform.
+/// If normalization of the rotation axis fails the rotation is treated as an invalid transform, unless the
+/// angle is zero in which case it is treated as an identity.
 table RotationAxisAngle (
   "attr.rust.derive": "Default, Copy, PartialEq",
   "attr.rust.repr": "transparent"
@@ -12,7 +13,8 @@ table RotationAxisAngle (
 
 /// 3D rotation represented by a rotation around a given axis that doesn't propagate in the transform hierarchy.
 ///
-/// If normalization of the rotation axis fails the rotation is treated as an invalid transform.
+/// If normalization of the rotation axis fails the rotation is treated as an invalid transform, unless the
+/// angle is zero in which case it is treated as an identity.
 table PoseRotationAxisAngle (
   "attr.rust.derive": "Default, Copy, PartialEq",
   "attr.rust.repr": "transparent"
diff --git a/crates/store/re_types/definitions/rerun/datatypes/rotation_axis_angle.fbs b/crates/store/re_types/definitions/rerun/datatypes/rotation_axis_angle.fbs
index aeb64292324c..10a5466b92f5 100644
--- a/crates/store/re_types/definitions/rerun/datatypes/rotation_axis_angle.fbs
+++ b/crates/store/re_types/definitions/rerun/datatypes/rotation_axis_angle.fbs
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@ table RotationAxisAngle (
   ///
   /// This is not required to be normalized.
   /// However, if normalization of the rotation axis fails (typically due to a zero vector)
-  /// the rotation is treated as an invalid transform.
+  /// the rotation is treated as an invalid transform, unless the angle is zero in which case
+  /// it is treated as an identity.
   axis: rerun.datatypes.Vec3D (order: 100);
 
   /// How much to rotate around the axis.
diff --git a/crates/store/re_types/src/components/pose_rotation_axis_angle.rs b/crates/store/re_types/src/components/pose_rotation_axis_angle.rs
index 9385b3f171a3..2a323db111de 100644
--- a/crates/store/re_types/src/components/pose_rotation_axis_angle.rs
+++ b/crates/store/re_types/src/components/pose_rotation_axis_angle.rs
@@ -20,7 +20,8 @@ use ::re_types_core::{DeserializationError, DeserializationResult};
 
 /// **Component**: 3D rotation represented by a rotation around a given axis that doesn't propagate in the transform hierarchy.
 ///
-/// If normalization of the rotation axis fails the rotation is treated as an invalid transform.
+/// If normalization of the rotation axis fails the rotation is treated as an invalid transform, unless the
+/// angle is zero in which case it is treated as an identity.
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, Default, Copy, PartialEq)]
 #[repr(transparent)]
 pub struct PoseRotationAxisAngle(pub crate::datatypes::RotationAxisAngle);
diff --git a/crates/store/re_types/src/components/pose_rotation_axis_angle_ext.rs b/crates/store/re_types/src/components/pose_rotation_axis_angle_ext.rs
index 37f700c5c460..c318d3e248b2 100644
--- a/crates/store/re_types/src/components/pose_rotation_axis_angle_ext.rs
+++ b/crates/store/re_types/src/components/pose_rotation_axis_angle_ext.rs
@@ -19,9 +19,14 @@ impl TryFrom<PoseRotationAxisAngle> for glam::Affine3A {
 
     #[inline]
     fn try_from(val: PoseRotationAxisAngle) -> Result<Self, Self::Error> {
-        glam::Vec3::from(val.0.axis)
-            .try_normalize()
-            .map(|normalized| Self::from_axis_angle(normalized, val.0.angle.radians()))
-            .ok_or(())
+        // 0 degrees around any axis is an identity transform.
+        if val.angle.radians == 0. {
+            Ok(Self::IDENTITY)
+        } else {
+            glam::Vec3::from(val.0.axis)
+                .try_normalize()
+                .map(|normalized| Self::from_axis_angle(normalized, val.0.angle.radians()))
+                .ok_or(())
+        }
     }
 }
diff --git a/crates/store/re_types/src/components/rotation_axis_angle.rs b/crates/store/re_types/src/components/rotation_axis_angle.rs
index a02ea550a8ea..a7d32c4482aa 100644
--- a/crates/store/re_types/src/components/rotation_axis_angle.rs
+++ b/crates/store/re_types/src/components/rotation_axis_angle.rs
@@ -20,7 +20,8 @@ use ::re_types_core::{DeserializationError, DeserializationResult};
 
 /// **Component**: 3D rotation represented by a rotation around a given axis.
 ///
-/// If normalization of the rotation axis fails the rotation is treated as an invalid transform.
+/// If normalization of the rotation axis fails the rotation is treated as an invalid transform, unless the
+/// angle is zero in which case it is treated as an identity.
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, Default, Copy, PartialEq)]
 #[repr(transparent)]
 pub struct RotationAxisAngle(pub crate::datatypes::RotationAxisAngle);
diff --git a/crates/store/re_types/src/datatypes/rotation_axis_angle.rs b/crates/store/re_types/src/datatypes/rotation_axis_angle.rs
index 893f3fe60f6f..61aaa44f64bc 100644
--- a/crates/store/re_types/src/datatypes/rotation_axis_angle.rs
+++ b/crates/store/re_types/src/datatypes/rotation_axis_angle.rs
@@ -25,7 +25,8 @@ pub struct RotationAxisAngle {
     ///
     /// This is not required to be normalized.
     /// However, if normalization of the rotation axis fails (typically due to a zero vector)
-    /// the rotation is treated as an invalid transform.
+    /// the rotation is treated as an invalid transform, unless the angle is zero in which case
+    /// it is treated as an identity.
     pub axis: crate::datatypes::Vec3D,
 
     /// How much to rotate around the axis.
diff --git a/crates/store/re_types/src/reflection/mod.rs b/crates/store/re_types/src/reflection/mod.rs
index bbc5cc219b2b..7b27c7d8ac35 100644
--- a/crates/store/re_types/src/reflection/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/store/re_types/src/reflection/mod.rs
@@ -648,7 +648,7 @@ fn generate_component_reflection() -> Result<ComponentReflectionMap, Serializati
         (
             <PoseRotationAxisAngle as Component>::name(),
             ComponentReflection {
-                docstring_md: "3D rotation represented by a rotation around a given axis that doesn't propagate in the transform hierarchy.\n\nIf normalization of the rotation axis fails the rotation is treated as an invalid transform.",
+                docstring_md: "3D rotation represented by a rotation around a given axis that doesn't propagate in the transform hierarchy.\n\nIf normalization of the rotation axis fails the rotation is treated as an invalid transform, unless the\nangle is zero in which case it is treated as an identity.",
                 custom_placeholder: Some(PoseRotationAxisAngle::default().to_arrow()?),
                 datatype: PoseRotationAxisAngle::arrow_datatype(),
             },
@@ -736,7 +736,7 @@ fn generate_component_reflection() -> Result<ComponentReflectionMap, Serializati
         (
             <RotationAxisAngle as Component>::name(),
             ComponentReflection {
-                docstring_md: "3D rotation represented by a rotation around a given axis.\n\nIf normalization of the rotation axis fails the rotation is treated as an invalid transform.",
+                docstring_md: "3D rotation represented by a rotation around a given axis.\n\nIf normalization of the rotation axis fails the rotation is treated as an invalid transform, unless the\nangle is zero in which case it is treated as an identity.",
                 custom_placeholder: Some(RotationAxisAngle::default().to_arrow()?),
                 datatype: RotationAxisAngle::arrow_datatype(),
             },
diff --git a/docs/content/reference/types/components/pose_rotation_axis_angle.md b/docs/content/reference/types/components/pose_rotation_axis_angle.md
index fcb951eb7e23..b7fc860d0b9c 100644
--- a/docs/content/reference/types/components/pose_rotation_axis_angle.md
+++ b/docs/content/reference/types/components/pose_rotation_axis_angle.md
@@ -5,7 +5,8 @@ title: "PoseRotationAxisAngle"
 
 3D rotation represented by a rotation around a given axis that doesn't propagate in the transform hierarchy.
 
-If normalization of the rotation axis fails the rotation is treated as an invalid transform.
+If normalization of the rotation axis fails the rotation is treated as an invalid transform, unless the
+angle is zero in which case it is treated as an identity.
 
 ## Rerun datatype
 [`RotationAxisAngle`](../datatypes/rotation_axis_angle.md)
diff --git a/docs/content/reference/types/components/rotation_axis_angle.md b/docs/content/reference/types/components/rotation_axis_angle.md
index fff45fe16a41..4a7633481113 100644
--- a/docs/content/reference/types/components/rotation_axis_angle.md
+++ b/docs/content/reference/types/components/rotation_axis_angle.md
@@ -5,7 +5,8 @@ title: "RotationAxisAngle"
 
 3D rotation represented by a rotation around a given axis.
 
-If normalization of the rotation axis fails the rotation is treated as an invalid transform.
+If normalization of the rotation axis fails the rotation is treated as an invalid transform, unless the
+angle is zero in which case it is treated as an identity.
 
 ## Rerun datatype
 [`RotationAxisAngle`](../datatypes/rotation_axis_angle.md)
diff --git a/docs/content/reference/types/datatypes/rotation_axis_angle.md b/docs/content/reference/types/datatypes/rotation_axis_angle.md
index 546b31e89067..1795fe55c1fc 100644
--- a/docs/content/reference/types/datatypes/rotation_axis_angle.md
+++ b/docs/content/reference/types/datatypes/rotation_axis_angle.md
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@ Axis to rotate around.
 
 This is not required to be normalized.
 However, if normalization of the rotation axis fails (typically due to a zero vector)
-the rotation is treated as an invalid transform.
+the rotation is treated as an invalid transform, unless the angle is zero in which case
+it is treated as an identity.
 
 #### `angle`
 Type: [`Angle`](../datatypes/angle.md)
diff --git a/rerun_cpp/src/rerun/components/pose_rotation_axis_angle.hpp b/rerun_cpp/src/rerun/components/pose_rotation_axis_angle.hpp
index f361fa1d96d7..66b0158b08a8 100644
--- a/rerun_cpp/src/rerun/components/pose_rotation_axis_angle.hpp
+++ b/rerun_cpp/src/rerun/components/pose_rotation_axis_angle.hpp
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@
 namespace rerun::components {
     /// **Component**: 3D rotation represented by a rotation around a given axis that doesn't propagate in the transform hierarchy.
     ///
-    /// If normalization of the rotation axis fails the rotation is treated as an invalid transform.
+    /// If normalization of the rotation axis fails the rotation is treated as an invalid transform, unless the
+    /// angle is zero in which case it is treated as an identity.
     struct PoseRotationAxisAngle {
         rerun::datatypes::RotationAxisAngle rotation;
 
diff --git a/rerun_cpp/src/rerun/components/rotation_axis_angle.hpp b/rerun_cpp/src/rerun/components/rotation_axis_angle.hpp
index 86bf63be7103..33e3b9bc5b20 100644
--- a/rerun_cpp/src/rerun/components/rotation_axis_angle.hpp
+++ b/rerun_cpp/src/rerun/components/rotation_axis_angle.hpp
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@
 namespace rerun::components {
     /// **Component**: 3D rotation represented by a rotation around a given axis.
     ///
-    /// If normalization of the rotation axis fails the rotation is treated as an invalid transform.
+    /// If normalization of the rotation axis fails the rotation is treated as an invalid transform, unless the
+    /// angle is zero in which case it is treated as an identity.
     struct RotationAxisAngle {
         rerun::datatypes::RotationAxisAngle rotation;
 
diff --git a/rerun_cpp/src/rerun/datatypes/rotation_axis_angle.hpp b/rerun_cpp/src/rerun/datatypes/rotation_axis_angle.hpp
index a1c28310d491..9baea7ce0892 100644
--- a/rerun_cpp/src/rerun/datatypes/rotation_axis_angle.hpp
+++ b/rerun_cpp/src/rerun/datatypes/rotation_axis_angle.hpp
@@ -24,7 +24,8 @@ namespace rerun::datatypes {
         ///
         /// This is not required to be normalized.
         /// However, if normalization of the rotation axis fails (typically due to a zero vector)
-        /// the rotation is treated as an invalid transform.
+        /// the rotation is treated as an invalid transform, unless the angle is zero in which case
+        /// it is treated as an identity.
         rerun::datatypes::Vec3D axis;
 
         /// How much to rotate around the axis.
diff --git a/rerun_py/rerun_sdk/rerun/components/pose_rotation_axis_angle.py b/rerun_py/rerun_sdk/rerun/components/pose_rotation_axis_angle.py
index c90afcab6fa7..f16351516228 100644
--- a/rerun_py/rerun_sdk/rerun/components/pose_rotation_axis_angle.py
+++ b/rerun_py/rerun_sdk/rerun/components/pose_rotation_axis_angle.py
@@ -19,7 +19,8 @@ class PoseRotationAxisAngle(datatypes.RotationAxisAngle, ComponentMixin):
     """
     **Component**: 3D rotation represented by a rotation around a given axis that doesn't propagate in the transform hierarchy.
 
-    If normalization of the rotation axis fails the rotation is treated as an invalid transform.
+    If normalization of the rotation axis fails the rotation is treated as an invalid transform, unless the
+    angle is zero in which case it is treated as an identity.
     """
 
     _BATCH_TYPE = None
diff --git a/rerun_py/rerun_sdk/rerun/components/rotation_axis_angle.py b/rerun_py/rerun_sdk/rerun/components/rotation_axis_angle.py
index 8d357a3cfc03..a37118bd828a 100644
--- a/rerun_py/rerun_sdk/rerun/components/rotation_axis_angle.py
+++ b/rerun_py/rerun_sdk/rerun/components/rotation_axis_angle.py
@@ -19,7 +19,8 @@ class RotationAxisAngle(datatypes.RotationAxisAngle, ComponentMixin):
     """
     **Component**: 3D rotation represented by a rotation around a given axis.
 
-    If normalization of the rotation axis fails the rotation is treated as an invalid transform.
+    If normalization of the rotation axis fails the rotation is treated as an invalid transform, unless the
+    angle is zero in which case it is treated as an identity.
     """
 
     _BATCH_TYPE = None
diff --git a/rerun_py/rerun_sdk/rerun/datatypes/rotation_axis_angle.py b/rerun_py/rerun_sdk/rerun/datatypes/rotation_axis_angle.py
index d1e87b29dbe4..40fb79b0bcf6 100644
--- a/rerun_py/rerun_sdk/rerun/datatypes/rotation_axis_angle.py
+++ b/rerun_py/rerun_sdk/rerun/datatypes/rotation_axis_angle.py
@@ -37,7 +37,8 @@ class RotationAxisAngle(RotationAxisAngleExt):
     #
     # This is not required to be normalized.
     # However, if normalization of the rotation axis fails (typically due to a zero vector)
-    # the rotation is treated as an invalid transform.
+    # the rotation is treated as an invalid transform, unless the angle is zero in which case
+    # it is treated as an identity.
     #
     # (Docstring intentionally commented out to hide this field from the docs)