diff --git a/code/lib/react-dom-shim/src/preset.ts b/code/lib/react-dom-shim/src/preset.ts
index 846bbca678b0..cfd44f567649 100644
--- a/code/lib/react-dom-shim/src/preset.ts
+++ b/code/lib/react-dom-shim/src/preset.ts
@@ -3,9 +3,8 @@ import type { Options } from '@storybook/types';
 import { version } from 'react-dom/package.json';
 
 export const webpackFinal = async (config: any, options: Options) => {
-  const { legacyRootApi } = await options.presets.apply<{ legacyRootApi?: boolean }>(
-    'frameworkOptions'
-  );
+  const { legacyRootApi } =
+    (await options.presets.apply<{ legacyRootApi?: boolean } | null>('frameworkOptions')) || {};
 
   const isReact18 = version.startsWith('18') || version.startsWith('0.0.0');
   const useReact17 = legacyRootApi ?? !isReact18;
@@ -24,9 +23,8 @@ export const webpackFinal = async (config: any, options: Options) => {
 };
 
 export const viteFinal = async (config: any, options: Options) => {
-  const { legacyRootApi } = await options.presets.apply<{ legacyRootApi?: boolean }>(
-    'frameworkOptions'
-  );
+  const { legacyRootApi } =
+    (await options.presets.apply<{ legacyRootApi?: boolean } | null>('frameworkOptions')) || {};
 
   const isReact18 = version.startsWith('18') || version.startsWith('0.0.0');
   const useReact17 = legacyRootApi || !isReact18;