diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/chat/browser/contrib/chatImplicitContext.ts b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/chat/browser/contrib/chatImplicitContext.ts
index b542bff357c..b5e77e7ed25 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/chat/browser/contrib/chatImplicitContext.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/chat/browser/contrib/chatImplicitContext.ts
@@ -365,6 +365,10 @@ export class ChatImplicitContext extends Disposable implements IChatRequestImpli
 	}
 
 	public toBaseEntries(): IChatRequestVariableEntry[] {
+		if (!this.value) {
+			return [];
+		}
+
 		if (isStringImplicitContextValue(this.value)) {
 			return [
 				{