diff --git a/core/java/com/android/internal/widget/LockPatternUtils.java b/core/java/com/android/internal/widget/LockPatternUtils.java
index f83579207e316..521b2f6afa0fe 100644
--- a/core/java/com/android/internal/widget/LockPatternUtils.java
+++ b/core/java/com/android/internal/widget/LockPatternUtils.java
@@ -1135,7 +1135,7 @@ public class LockPatternUtils {
     public List<ComponentName> getEnabledTrustAgents(int userId) {
         String serialized = getString(ENABLED_TRUST_AGENTS, userId);
         if (TextUtils.isEmpty(serialized)) {
-            return null;
+            return new ArrayList<ComponentName>();
         }
         String[] split = serialized.split(",");
         ArrayList<ComponentName> activeTrustAgents = new ArrayList<ComponentName>(split.length);
diff --git a/core/tests/utiltests/src/com/android/internal/util/LockPatternUtilsTest.java b/core/tests/utiltests/src/com/android/internal/util/LockPatternUtilsTest.java
index b659f37690a3a..940ca96fac4f2 100644
--- a/core/tests/utiltests/src/com/android/internal/util/LockPatternUtilsTest.java
+++ b/core/tests/utiltests/src/com/android/internal/util/LockPatternUtilsTest.java
@@ -19,14 +19,20 @@ package com.android.internal.util;
 import static android.app.admin.DevicePolicyManager.PASSWORD_QUALITY_MANAGED;
 import static android.app.admin.DevicePolicyManager.PASSWORD_QUALITY_UNSPECIFIED;
 
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertFalse;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertNotNull;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
 import static org.mockito.ArgumentMatchers.eq;
+import static org.mockito.Mockito.any;
+import static org.mockito.Mockito.anyInt;
+import static org.mockito.Mockito.anyString;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.doReturn;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.spy;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.verify;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.when;
 
+import android.content.ComponentName;
 import android.content.Context;
 import android.content.ContextWrapper;
 import android.content.pm.UserInfo;
@@ -50,6 +56,7 @@ import org.junit.runner.RunWith;
 import org.mockito.Mockito;
 
 import java.nio.charset.StandardCharsets;
+import java.util.List;
 
 @RunWith(AndroidJUnit4.class)
 @SmallTest
@@ -164,6 +171,16 @@ public class LockPatternUtilsTest {
         verify(ils).isWeakEscrowTokenValid(eq(testHandle), eq(testToken), eq(testUserId));
     }
 
+    @Test
+    public void testGetEnabledTrustAgentsNotNull() throws RemoteException {
+        int testUserId = 10;
+        ILockSettings ils = createTestLockSettings();
+        when(ils.getString(anyString(), any(), anyInt())).thenReturn("");
+        List<ComponentName> trustAgents = mLockPatternUtils.getEnabledTrustAgents(testUserId);
+        assertNotNull(trustAgents);
+        assertEquals(0, trustAgents.size());
+    }
+
     private ILockSettings createTestLockSettings() {
         final Context context = spy(new ContextWrapper(InstrumentationRegistry.getTargetContext()));
         mLockPatternUtils = spy(new LockPatternUtils(context));
diff --git a/services/core/java/com/android/server/trust/TrustManagerService.java b/services/core/java/com/android/server/trust/TrustManagerService.java
index bd4b8d15f453c..cc1d0e2ea6c85 100644
--- a/services/core/java/com/android/server/trust/TrustManagerService.java
+++ b/services/core/java/com/android/server/trust/TrustManagerService.java
@@ -715,7 +715,7 @@ public class TrustManagerService extends SystemService {
                     (disabledFeatures & DevicePolicyManager.KEYGUARD_DISABLE_TRUST_AGENTS) != 0;
 
             List<ComponentName> enabledAgents = lockPatternUtils.getEnabledTrustAgents(userInfo.id);
-            if (enabledAgents == null) {
+            if (enabledAgents.isEmpty()) {
                 if (DEBUG) Slog.d(TAG, "refreshAgentList: skipping user " + userInfo.id
                         + ": no agents enabled by user");
                 continue;
@@ -1080,9 +1080,7 @@ public class TrustManagerService extends SystemService {
         }
 
         List<ComponentName> previouslyEnabledAgents = utils.getEnabledTrustAgents(userId);
-        if (previouslyEnabledAgents != null) {
-            discoveredAgents.addAll(previouslyEnabledAgents);
-        }
+        discoveredAgents.addAll(previouslyEnabledAgents);
         utils.setEnabledTrustAgents(discoveredAgents, userId);
         Settings.Secure.putIntForUser(mContext.getContentResolver(),
                 Settings.Secure.TRUST_AGENTS_INITIALIZED, 1, userId);