diff --git a/src/vs/platform/configuration/node/nodeConfigurationService.ts b/src/vs/platform/configuration/node/nodeConfigurationService.ts
index 86ba83d00dd..84e5dd7b58f 100644
--- a/src/vs/platform/configuration/node/nodeConfigurationService.ts
+++ b/src/vs/platform/configuration/node/nodeConfigurationService.ts
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ export class NodeConfigurationService implements IConfigurationService, IDisposa
 
 		let content = {};
 		try {
-			content = parse(raw);
+			content = parse(raw) || {};
 		} catch (error) {
 			// noop
 		}