diff --git a/engine-api/src/main/java/io/nosqlbench/engine/api/activityconfig/yaml/OpDef.java b/engine-api/src/main/java/io/nosqlbench/engine/api/activityconfig/yaml/OpDef.java
index 826ac9833..cc2d325f1 100644
--- a/engine-api/src/main/java/io/nosqlbench/engine/api/activityconfig/yaml/OpDef.java
+++ b/engine-api/src/main/java/io/nosqlbench/engine/api/activityconfig/yaml/OpDef.java
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ public class OpDef extends OpTemplate {
     public Optional<Map<String, Object>> getOp() {
         Object op = rawStmtDef.getOp();
         if (op == null) {
-            return null;
+            return Optional.empty();
         }
         HashMap<String, Object> newmap = new LinkedHashMap<>();
         if (op instanceof Map) {