diff --git a/homeassistant/config_entries.py b/homeassistant/config_entries.py
index 13cb7de62ef..be67ebd9cc3 100644
--- a/homeassistant/config_entries.py
+++ b/homeassistant/config_entries.py
@@ -323,6 +323,10 @@ class ConfigEntries:
             old_conf_migrate_func=_old_conf_migrator
         )
 
+        if config is None:
+            self._entries = []
+            return
+
         self._entries = [ConfigEntry(**entry) for entry in config['entries']]
 
     async def async_forward_entry_setup(self, entry, component):
diff --git a/homeassistant/helpers/storage.py b/homeassistant/helpers/storage.py
index 4b0c576f129..18c3ddf7fcd 100644
--- a/homeassistant/helpers/storage.py
+++ b/homeassistant/helpers/storage.py
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ class Store:
                 json.load_json, self.path, None)
 
             if data is None:
-                return {}
+                return None
 
         if data['version'] == self.version:
             return data['data']
diff --git a/tests/helpers/test_storage.py b/tests/helpers/test_storage.py
index 289d07edab2..04de920b036 100644
--- a/tests/helpers/test_storage.py
+++ b/tests/helpers/test_storage.py
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ async def test_loading_non_existing(hass, store):
     """Test we can save and load data."""
     with patch('homeassistant.util.json.open', side_effect=FileNotFoundError):
         data = await store.async_load()
-    assert data == {}
+    assert data is None
 
 
 async def test_saving_with_delay(hass, store, mock_save):
diff --git a/tests/test_config_entries.py b/tests/test_config_entries.py
index fc0a549f1ae..b65e0dd62e7 100644
--- a/tests/test_config_entries.py
+++ b/tests/test_config_entries.py
@@ -309,3 +309,13 @@ async def test_discovery_notification_not_created(hass):
     await hass.async_block_till_done()
     state = hass.states.get('persistent_notification.config_entry_discovery')
     assert state is None
+
+
+async def test_loading_default_config(hass):
+    """Test loading the default config."""
+    manager = config_entries.ConfigEntries(hass, {})
+
+    with patch('homeassistant.util.json.open', side_effect=FileNotFoundError):
+        await manager.async_load()
+
+    assert len(manager.async_entries()) == 0