diff --git a/jsx-runtime/src/index.js b/jsx-runtime/src/index.js
index f6e1b13101..0bc774121d 100644
--- a/jsx-runtime/src/index.js
+++ b/jsx-runtime/src/index.js
@@ -27,10 +27,11 @@ const isArray = Array.isArray;
  * @param {unknown} [__self]
  */
 function createVNode(type, props, key, isStaticChildren, __source, __self) {
+	if (!props) props = {};
 	// We'll want to preserve `ref` in props to get rid of the need for
 	// forwardRef components in the future, but that should happen via
 	// a separate PR.
-	let normalizedProps = props || {},
+	let normalizedProps = props,
 		ref,
 		i;
 	if (normalizedProps && (ref = normalizedProps.ref)) {