diff --git a/hadoop-hdds/server-scm/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdds/scm/server/StorageContainerManager.java b/hadoop-hdds/server-scm/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdds/scm/server/StorageContainerManager.java
index b3408a4be91..60796c7fec4 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdds/server-scm/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdds/scm/server/StorageContainerManager.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdds/server-scm/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdds/scm/server/StorageContainerManager.java
@@ -376,9 +376,10 @@ public final class StorageContainerManager extends ServiceRuntimeInfoImpl
     out.println(USAGE + "\n");
   }
 
-  public static StorageContainerManager createSCM(String[] argv,
+  public static StorageContainerManager createSCM(String[] args,
       OzoneConfiguration conf)
       throws IOException {
+    String[] argv = (args == null) ? new String[0] : args;
     if (!HddsUtils.isHddsEnabled(conf)) {
       System.err.println(
           "SCM cannot be started in secure mode or when " + OZONE_ENABLED + "" +