diff --git a/x-pack/legacy/plugins/maps/public/layers/sources/client_file_source/geojson_file_source.js b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/maps/public/layers/sources/client_file_source/geojson_file_source.js
index 97f3171afbb392..59cfc7b486bdd9 100644
--- a/x-pack/legacy/plugins/maps/public/layers/sources/client_file_source/geojson_file_source.js
+++ b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/maps/public/layers/sources/client_file_source/geojson_file_source.js
@@ -38,7 +38,13 @@ export class GeojsonFileSource extends AbstractVectorSource {
   static createDescriptor(geoJson, name) {
     // Wrap feature as feature collection if needed
     let featureCollection;
-    if (geoJson.type === 'FeatureCollection') {
+
+    if (!geoJson) {
+      featureCollection = {
+        type: 'FeatureCollection',
+        features: []
+      };
+    } else if (geoJson.type === 'FeatureCollection') {
       featureCollection = geoJson;
     } else if (geoJson.type === 'Feature') {
       featureCollection = {