diff --git a/plugins/fail2ban/index.py b/plugins/fail2ban/index.py
index d621fb607..d29f74ac5 100755
--- a/plugins/fail2ban/index.py
+++ b/plugins/fail2ban/index.py
@@ -286,9 +286,7 @@ def getBlackList():
     _black_list = getServerDir() + "/black_list.json"
     conf = _read_conf(_black_list, l=1)
     if not conf:
-        return ''
-    if not conf:
-        return []
+        conf = []
     content = "\n".join(conf)
     return mw.returnJson(True, 'ok', content)