diff --git a/maven-core/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/execution/DefaultMavenExecutionResult.java b/maven-core/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/execution/DefaultMavenExecutionResult.java
index 5616f38380..bdb4532a54 100644
--- a/maven-core/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/execution/DefaultMavenExecutionResult.java
+++ b/maven-core/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/execution/DefaultMavenExecutionResult.java
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ public class DefaultMavenExecutionResult
 {
     private MavenProject project;
 
-    private List<MavenProject> topologicallySortedProjects;
+    private List<MavenProject> topologicallySortedProjects = Collections.emptyList();
 
     private DependencyResolutionResult dependencyResolutionResult;