diff --git a/tests/phpunit/tests/rest-api/rest-widgets-controller.php b/tests/phpunit/tests/rest-api/rest-widgets-controller.php
index a44512cf5a..be0d84e430 100644
--- a/tests/phpunit/tests/rest-api/rest-widgets-controller.php
+++ b/tests/phpunit/tests/rest-api/rest-widgets-controller.php
@@ -109,10 +109,10 @@ class WP_Test_REST_Widgets_Controller extends WP_Test_REST_Controller_Testcase {
 			'testwidget',
 			'WP test widget',
 			static function () {
-				$settings = get_option( 'widget_testwidget' );
-
 				// check if anything's been sent.
 				if ( isset( $_POST['update_testwidget'] ) ) {
+					$settings = get_option( 'widget_testwidget', array() );
+
 					$settings['id']    = $_POST['test_id'];
 					$settings['title'] = $_POST['test_title'];
 
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ class WP_Test_REST_Widgets_Controller extends WP_Test_REST_Controller_Testcase {
 			'WP test widget',
 			static function () {
 				$settings = wp_parse_args(
-					get_option( 'widget_testwidget' ),
+					get_option( 'widget_testwidget', array() ),
 					array(
 						'id'    => 'Default id',
 						'title' => 'Default text',