diff --git a/src/ol/format/geojsonformat.js b/src/ol/format/geojsonformat.js
index 9c4acc76f9..8d975f6a4c 100644
--- a/src/ol/format/geojsonformat.js
+++ b/src/ol/format/geojsonformat.js
@@ -331,7 +331,7 @@ ol.format.GeoJSON.prototype.readFeaturesFromObject = function(object) {
     return features;
   } else {
     goog.asserts.fail();
-    return null;
+    return [];
   }
 };
 
diff --git a/src/ol/format/xmlformat.js b/src/ol/format/xmlformat.js
index e957102d82..0025cbd452 100644
--- a/src/ol/format/xmlformat.js
+++ b/src/ol/format/xmlformat.js
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ ol.format.XML.prototype.readFeatures = function(source) {
     return this.readFeaturesFromDocument(doc);
   } else {
     goog.asserts.fail();
-    return null;
+    return [];
   }
 };