diff --git a/atomic_reactor/plugins/hermeto_init.py b/atomic_reactor/plugins/hermeto_init.py
index f4a50aed7..4ebf264db 100644
--- a/atomic_reactor/plugins/hermeto_init.py
+++ b/atomic_reactor/plugins/hermeto_init.py
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ def process_remote_sources(self) -> List[Dict[str, Any]]:
                 remote_source["git_submodules"] = git_submodules
 
             remove_unsafe_symlinks = False
-            flags = remote_source_data.get("flags", [])
+            flags = remote_source_data.get("flags") or []
             if "remove-unsafe-symlinks" in flags:
                 remove_unsafe_symlinks = True
 
diff --git a/atomic_reactor/utils/hermeto.py b/atomic_reactor/utils/hermeto.py
index a9bbee79f..327ea9617 100644
--- a/atomic_reactor/utils/hermeto.py
+++ b/atomic_reactor/utils/hermeto.py
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ def remote_source_to_hermeto(remote_source: Dict[str, Any]) -> Dict[str, Any]:
     removed_pkg_managers = {"git-submodule"}
 
     hermeto_flags = sorted(
-        set(remote_source.get("flags", [])) - removed_flags
+        set(remote_source.get("flags") or []) - removed_flags
     )
     hermeto_packages = []
 
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ def generate_request_json(
         "ref": remote_source["ref"],
         "repo": remote_source["repo"],
         "environment_variables": {env['name']: env["value"] for env in remote_source_env_json},
-        "flags": remote_source.get("flags", []),
+        "flags": remote_source.get("flags") or [],
         "packages": [],  # this will be always empty Hermeto doesn't provide nested deps
     }
     return res
diff --git a/tests/plugins/test_hermeto_init.py b/tests/plugins/test_hermeto_init.py
index 27ca6b448..aed831b9e 100644
--- a/tests/plugins/test_hermeto_init.py
+++ b/tests/plugins/test_hermeto_init.py
@@ -259,6 +259,7 @@ def test_multi_remote_source_initialization(workflow, mocked_hermeto_init):
           remote_source:
             repo: {SECOND_REMOTE_SOURCE_REPO}
             ref: {SECOND_REMOTE_SOURCE_REF}
+            flags:  # Test case when flags are None to test handling
         """
     )
 
@@ -301,6 +302,7 @@ def test_multi_remote_source_initialization(workflow, mocked_hermeto_init):
             "repo": SECOND_REMOTE_SOURCE_REPO,
             "ref": SECOND_REMOTE_SOURCE_REF,
             "pkg_managers": ["gomod"],
+            "flags": None,
         }
     }]