diff --git a/packages/core/src/worker.js b/packages/core/src/worker.js
index 323da0f..c2b2c28 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/worker.js
+++ b/packages/core/src/worker.js
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ function spawnWorker(workerSourceFilename, workerData) {
     let endpoints = Map();
 
     const w = new worker_threads.Worker(workerSourceFilename, {
-      workerData: encodePacket(workerData)
+      workerData: encodePacket(workerData || false)
     });
     w.on('error', Dataspace.wrapExternal((err) => {
       throw err;