diff --git a/cncd/pipeline/pipeline/frontend/yaml/matrix/matrix.go b/cncd/pipeline/pipeline/frontend/yaml/matrix/matrix.go
index 76a0f6bed..7177e1a2f 100644
--- a/cncd/pipeline/pipeline/frontend/yaml/matrix/matrix.go
+++ b/cncd/pipeline/pipeline/frontend/yaml/matrix/matrix.go
@@ -40,9 +40,8 @@ func Parse(data []byte) ([]Axis, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	// if not a matrix build return an array with just the single axis.
 	if len(matrix) == 0 {
-		return nil, nil
+		return []Axis{}, nil
 	}
 
 	return calc(matrix), nil
diff --git a/cncd/pipeline/pipeline/frontend/yaml/matrix/matrix_test.go b/cncd/pipeline/pipeline/frontend/yaml/matrix/matrix_test.go
index 0c4eef50a..690d71082 100644
--- a/cncd/pipeline/pipeline/frontend/yaml/matrix/matrix_test.go
+++ b/cncd/pipeline/pipeline/frontend/yaml/matrix/matrix_test.go
@@ -25,10 +25,10 @@ func TestMatrix(t *testing.T) {
 			g.Assert(len(set)).Equal(24)
 		})
 
-		g.It("Should return nil if no matrix", func() {
+		g.It("Should return empty array if no matrix", func() {
 			axis, err := ParseString("")
 			g.Assert(err == nil).IsTrue()
-			g.Assert(axis == nil).IsTrue()
+			g.Assert(len(axis) == 0).IsTrue()
 		})
 
 		g.It("Should return included axis", func() {