diff --git a/lib/cli.py b/lib/cli.py
index 81c5901bba81cd2133368b7cbd74c4213e76ac4f..6739b6c152446b0220bb09e9e2caad0257742231 100644
--- a/lib/cli.py
+++ b/lib/cli.py
@@ -1102,7 +1102,7 @@ PREALLOC_WIPE_DISKS_OPT = cli_option("--prealloc-wipe-disks", default=None,
                                            " creation"))
 
 NODE_PARAMS_OPT = cli_option("--node-parameters", dest="ndparams",
-                             type="keyval", default={},
+                             type="keyval", default=None,
                              help="Node parameters")