diff --git a/lib/private/TaskProcessing/Manager.php b/lib/private/TaskProcessing/Manager.php
index bf72154061916..d23244dc85490 100644
--- a/lib/private/TaskProcessing/Manager.php
+++ b/lib/private/TaskProcessing/Manager.php
@@ -566,6 +566,9 @@ private function _getTaskTypes(): array {
 	 */
 	private function _getTaskTypeSettings(): array {
 		$json = $this->config->getAppValue('core', 'ai.taskprocessing_type_preferences', '');
+		if ($json === '') {
+			return [];
+		}
 		return json_decode($json, true);
 	}