diff --git a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/analysis/config/BuildConfigurationValue.java b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/analysis/config/BuildConfigurationValue.java
index a8511246b9807f..754d46970fbd4f 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/analysis/config/BuildConfigurationValue.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/analysis/config/BuildConfigurationValue.java
@@ -746,7 +746,7 @@ public int analysisTestingDepsLimit() {
   }
 
   public List<Label> getActionListeners() {
-    return options.actionListeners == null ? ImmutableList.of() : options.actionListeners;
+    return options.actionListeners;
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/analysis/config/ExecutionTransitionFactory.java b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/analysis/config/ExecutionTransitionFactory.java
index 0ff96d0a655b1f..a4559c333d53c0 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/analysis/config/ExecutionTransitionFactory.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/analysis/config/ExecutionTransitionFactory.java
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ private static BuildOptions transitionImpl(BuildOptionsView options, Label execu
       coreOptions.isHost = false;
       coreOptions.isExec = true;
       // Disable extra actions
-      coreOptions.actionListeners = null;
+      coreOptions.actionListeners = ImmutableList.of();
 
       // Then set the target to the saved execution platform if there is one.
       PlatformOptions platformOptions = execOptions.get(PlatformOptions.class);