diff --git a/src/component.ts b/src/component.ts
index d46d834c..638a96a1 100644
--- a/src/component.ts
+++ b/src/component.ts
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ export interface Type<T> extends Function {
 
 export class Component<
   T extends Env,
-  Props,
+  Props extends {},
   State extends {}
 > extends EventBus {
   readonly __widget__: Meta<Env, Props>;
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ export class Component<
     //   Pro: if props is empty, we can create easily a widget
     //   Con: this is not really safe
     //   Pro: but creating widget (by a template) is always unsafe anyway
-    this.props = <Props>props;
+    this.props = <Props>props || <Props>{};
     let id: number = getId();
     let p: Component<T, any, any> | null = null;
     if (parent instanceof Component) {
diff --git a/tests/component.test.ts b/tests/component.test.ts
index d15c43ef..b9c21c5e 100644
--- a/tests/component.test.ts
+++ b/tests/component.test.ts
@@ -70,6 +70,12 @@ class WidgetB extends Widget {
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 describe("basic widget properties", () => {
+  test("props and state are properly defined", async () => {
+    const widget = new Widget(env);
+    expect(widget.props).toEqual({});
+    expect(widget.state).toEqual({});
+  });
+
   test("has no el after creation", async () => {
     const widget = new Widget(env);
     expect(widget.el).toBe(null);