diff --git a/packages/ERTP/src/displayInfo.js b/packages/ERTP/src/displayInfo.js
index 22d5019c510..e0b29f48b29 100644
--- a/packages/ERTP/src/displayInfo.js
+++ b/packages/ERTP/src/displayInfo.js
@@ -37,9 +37,6 @@ export const assertKeysAllowed = (allowedKeys, record) => {
 };
 
 export const assertDisplayInfo = allegedDisplayInfo => {
-  if (allegedDisplayInfo === undefined) {
-    return;
-  }
   assert(
     passStyleOf(allegedDisplayInfo) === 'copyRecord',
     X`A displayInfo can only be a pass-by-copy record: ${allegedDisplayInfo}`,
@@ -48,7 +45,11 @@ export const assertDisplayInfo = allegedDisplayInfo => {
   assertKeysAllowed(displayInfoKeys, allegedDisplayInfo);
 };
 
-export const coerceDisplayInfo = allegedDisplayInfo => {
+/**
+ * @param {any} [allegedDisplayInfo={}]
+ * @returns {DisplayInfo}
+ */
+export const coerceDisplayInfo = (allegedDisplayInfo = {}) => {
   allegedDisplayInfo = pureCopy(allegedDisplayInfo);
   assertDisplayInfo(allegedDisplayInfo);
   return allegedDisplayInfo;
diff --git a/packages/ERTP/src/issuer.js b/packages/ERTP/src/issuer.js
index 0a2685bd9bb..43f978b2c74 100644
--- a/packages/ERTP/src/issuer.js
+++ b/packages/ERTP/src/issuer.js
@@ -22,10 +22,10 @@ import './types';
 function makeIssuerKit(
   allegedName,
   amountMathKind = MathKind.NAT,
-  displayInfo = undefined,
+  rawDisplayInfo = harden({}),
 ) {
   assert.typeof(allegedName, 'string');
-  displayInfo = coerceDisplayInfo(displayInfo);
+  const displayInfo = coerceDisplayInfo(rawDisplayInfo);
 
   /** @type {Brand} */
   const brand = Far(makeFarName(allegedName, ERTPKind.BRAND), {
diff --git a/packages/ERTP/src/types.js b/packages/ERTP/src/types.js
index a0ac30204c3..c18a5a77a4c 100644
--- a/packages/ERTP/src/types.js
+++ b/packages/ERTP/src/types.js
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@
  * @callback MakeIssuerKit
  * @param {string} allegedName
  * @param {AmountMathKind} [amountMathKind=MathKind.NAT]
- * @param {DisplayInfo=} [displayInfo=undefined]
+ * @param {DisplayInfo} [displayInfo={}]
  * @returns {IssuerKit}
  *
  * The allegedName becomes part of the brand in asset descriptions. The
diff --git a/packages/ERTP/test/unitTests/test-issuerObj.js b/packages/ERTP/test/unitTests/test-issuerObj.js
index 5a7222fe1a3..b513af01269 100644
--- a/packages/ERTP/test/unitTests/test-issuerObj.js
+++ b/packages/ERTP/test/unitTests/test-issuerObj.js
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ test('issuer.getBrand, brand.isMyIssuer', t => {
   );
   t.is(issuer.getAllegedName(), myBrand.getAllegedName());
   t.is(issuer.getAllegedName(), 'fungible');
-  t.is(brand.getDisplayInfo(), undefined);
+  t.deepEqual(brand.getDisplayInfo(), {});
 });
 
 test('brand.getDisplayInfo()', t => {
diff --git a/packages/zoe/test/unitTests/zcf/test-zcf.js b/packages/zoe/test/unitTests/zcf/test-zcf.js
index cedd1e9f618..d458d5004ec 100644
--- a/packages/zoe/test/unitTests/zcf/test-zcf.js
+++ b/packages/zoe/test/unitTests/zcf/test-zcf.js
@@ -378,7 +378,7 @@ test(`zcf.makeZCFMint - NAT`, async t => {
   };
   await testTerms(t, zcf, expected);
   t.is(issuerRecord.mathKind, MathKind.NAT);
-  t.is(issuerRecord.brand.getDisplayInfo(), undefined);
+  t.deepEqual(issuerRecord.brand.getDisplayInfo(), {});
 });
 
 test(`zcf.makeZCFMint - SET`, async t => {