diff --git a/Classes/Utility/FetchUtility.php b/Classes/Utility/FetchUtility.php
index 52ff29d0e..9a1b9d20b 100644
--- a/Classes/Utility/FetchUtility.php
+++ b/Classes/Utility/FetchUtility.php
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ public function getStreamContext()
 
     public function getResponse(string $url): Response
     {
-        $context = null;
+        $context = [];
         $applicationContext = Environment::getContext();
         if ($applicationContext->isDevelopment()) {
             $context = ['verify' => Typo3ConfVarsUtility::getDMConfigSSLVerify()];