diff --git a/src/qweb_core.ts b/src/qweb_core.ts
index 64ed9edd..e63d79a4 100644
--- a/src/qweb_core.ts
+++ b/src/qweb_core.ts
@@ -136,6 +136,7 @@ export class QWeb {
     if (data) {
       this.loadTemplates(data);
     }
+    this.addTemplate("default", "<div></div>");
   }
 
   static addDirective(directive: Directive) {
diff --git a/tests/component.test.ts b/tests/component.test.ts
index f619897b..99f17b34 100644
--- a/tests/component.test.ts
+++ b/tests/component.test.ts
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ beforeEach(() => {
   );
   env.qweb.addTemplate("widgetA", `<div>Hello<t t-widget="b"/></div>`);
   env.qweb.addTemplate("widgetB", `<div>world</div>`);
-  env.qweb.addTemplate("default", "<div/>");
 });
 
 afterEach(() => {
diff --git a/tests/qweb.test.ts b/tests/qweb.test.ts
index 68b1c849..19e7ecc3 100644
--- a/tests/qweb.test.ts
+++ b/tests/qweb.test.ts
@@ -1024,7 +1024,7 @@ describe("loading templates", () => {
   test("does not crash if string does not have templates", () => {
     const data = "";
     qweb.loadTemplates(data);
-    expect(qweb.templates).toEqual({});
+    expect(Object.keys(qweb.templates)).toEqual(["default"]);
   });
 });