diff --git a/manifests/resource/vhost.pp b/manifests/resource/vhost.pp
index 389e67ecd..b15f9e766 100644
--- a/manifests/resource/vhost.pp
+++ b/manifests/resource/vhost.pp
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@
       fastcgi_script      => $fastcgi_script,
       try_files           => $try_files,
       www_root            => $www_root,
-      index_files         => undef,
+      index_files         => [],
       location_custom_cfg => $location_custom_cfg,
       notify              => Class['nginx::service'],
     }
diff --git a/templates/vhost/vhost_header.erb b/templates/vhost/vhost_header.erb
index 7cfc883e5..274a6599e 100644
--- a/templates/vhost/vhost_header.erb
+++ b/templates/vhost/vhost_header.erb
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ server {
        return 301 https://$host$request_uri;
   }
 <% end -%>
-<% if @index_files -%>
+<% if @index_files.count > 0 -%>
     index <% Array(index_files).each do |i| %> <%= i %><% end %>;
 <% end -%>
 
diff --git a/templates/vhost/vhost_location_directory.erb b/templates/vhost/vhost_location_directory.erb
index 785e16d11..9b8a6b511 100644
--- a/templates/vhost/vhost_location_directory.erb
+++ b/templates/vhost/vhost_location_directory.erb
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 <% if @autoindex == 'on' -%>
     autoindex on;
 <% end -%>
-<% if @index_files -%>
+<% if @index_files.count > 0 -%>
     index <% Array(index_files).each do |i| %> <%= i %><% end %>;
 <% end -%>
 <% if defined? @auth_basic -%>
diff --git a/templates/vhost/vhost_ssl_header.erb b/templates/vhost/vhost_ssl_header.erb
index 0007517ed..a7ba50442 100644
--- a/templates/vhost/vhost_ssl_header.erb
+++ b/templates/vhost/vhost_ssl_header.erb
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ server {
 <% if defined? @auth_basic_user_file -%>
   auth_basic_user_file      "<%= @auth_basic_user_file %>";
 <% end -%>
-<% if @index_files -%>
+<% if @index_files.count > 0 -%>
     index <% Array(index_files).each do |i| %> <%= i %><% end %>;
 <% end -%>