diff --git a/lib/wasi.js b/lib/wasi.js
index efe24e0ad7a2ee..eef36d24d487e7 100644
--- a/lib/wasi.js
+++ b/lib/wasi.js
@@ -25,13 +25,11 @@ class WASI {
     if (options === null || typeof options !== 'object')
       throw new ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE('options', 'object', options);
 
-    // eslint-disable-next-line prefer-const
-    let { args, env, preopens } = options;
+    const { env, preopens } = options;
+    let { args = [] } = options;
 
     if (ArrayIsArray(args))
       args = ArrayPrototypeMap(args, (arg) => { return String(arg); });
-    else if (args === undefined)
-      args = [];
     else
       throw new ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE('options.args', 'Array', args);