diff --git a/qlib/backtest/__init__.py b/qlib/backtest/__init__.py
index 9daba911533..e016ef5c41c 100644
--- a/qlib/backtest/__init__.py
+++ b/qlib/backtest/__init__.py
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ def create_account_instance(
         position_dict=position_dict,
         pos_type=pos_type,
         benchmark_config=(
-            {}
+            {"benchmark": None}
             if benchmark is None
             else {
                 "benchmark": benchmark,
diff --git a/tests/backtest/test_account.py b/tests/backtest/test_account.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..7d2880d2c8c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/backtest/test_account.py
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+from qlib.backtest import create_account_instance
+
+
+def test_create_account_instance_keeps_disabled_benchmark():
+    account = create_account_instance(
+        start_time="2020-01-01",
+        end_time="2020-01-31",
+        benchmark=None,
+        account=1000000,
+    )
+
+    assert account.benchmark_config == {"benchmark": None}
+    assert account.portfolio_metrics.bench is None