diff --git a/pkg/apis/pipeline/v1beta1/param_types.go b/pkg/apis/pipeline/v1beta1/param_types.go
index 8489c95b295..23e71a52ef4 100644
--- a/pkg/apis/pipeline/v1beta1/param_types.go
+++ b/pkg/apis/pipeline/v1beta1/param_types.go
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ func (arrayOrString ArrayOrString) MarshalJSON() ([]byte, error) {
 func (arrayOrString *ArrayOrString) ApplyReplacements(stringReplacements map[string]string, arrayReplacements map[string][]string, objectReplacements map[string]map[string]string) {
 	switch arrayOrString.Type {
 	case ParamTypeArray:
-		var newArrayVal []string
+		newArrayVal := []string{}
 		for _, v := range arrayOrString.ArrayVal {
 			newArrayVal = append(newArrayVal, substitution.ApplyArrayReplacements(v, stringReplacements, arrayReplacements)...)
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/apis/pipeline/v1beta1/param_types_test.go b/pkg/apis/pipeline/v1beta1/param_types_test.go
index 2a8f0d0b2d7..fe437e42cad 100644
--- a/pkg/apis/pipeline/v1beta1/param_types_test.go
+++ b/pkg/apis/pipeline/v1beta1/param_types_test.go
@@ -209,7 +209,14 @@ func TestArrayOrString_ApplyReplacements(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 		expectedOutput: v1beta1.NewArrayOrString("firstvalue", "array", "value", "lastvalue", "asdf", "sdfsd"),
 	}, {
-		name: "empty array replacement",
+		name: "empty array replacement without extra elements",
+		args: args{
+			input:             v1beta1.NewArrayOrString("$(arraykey)"),
+			arrayReplacements: map[string][]string{"arraykey": {}},
+		},
+		expectedOutput: &v1beta1.ArrayOrString{Type: v1beta1.ParamTypeArray, ArrayVal: []string{}},
+	}, {
+		name: "empty array replacement with extra elements",
 		args: args{
 			input:              v1beta1.NewArrayOrString("firstvalue", "$(arraykey)", "lastvalue"),
 			stringReplacements: map[string]string{"some": "value", "anotherkey": "value"},