diff --git a/src/wp-admin/includes/plugin.php b/src/wp-admin/includes/plugin.php
index e2e37761d8..d4029073da 100644
--- a/src/wp-admin/includes/plugin.php
+++ b/src/wp-admin/includes/plugin.php
@@ -884,7 +884,7 @@ function validate_active_plugins() {
 	}
 
 	if ( empty( $plugins ) )
-		return;
+		return array();
 
 	$invalid = array();
 
diff --git a/tests/phpunit/tests/admin/includesPlugin.php b/tests/phpunit/tests/admin/includesPlugin.php
index d4d197de49..b6dd5c2614 100644
--- a/tests/phpunit/tests/admin/includesPlugin.php
+++ b/tests/phpunit/tests/admin/includesPlugin.php
@@ -292,6 +292,13 @@ class Tests_Admin_includesPlugin extends WP_UnitTestCase {
 		$this->assertTrue( isset( $result[ $plugin[ 0 ] ] ) );
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * @covers ::validate_active_plugins
+	 */
+	public function test_validate_active_plugins_empty() {
+		$this->assertEquals( array(), validate_active_plugins() );
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * @covers ::is_uninstallable_plugin
 	 */