diff --git a/lib/index.js b/lib/index.js
index ce43eeb..3230189 100644
--- a/lib/index.js
+++ b/lib/index.js
@@ -40,6 +40,14 @@ function plugin(opts){
       });
     });
 
+    /**
+     * Ensure that a default empty collection exists.
+     */
+
+    keys.forEach(function(key) {
+      metadata[key] = metadata[key] || [];
+    });
+
     /**
      * Sort the collections.
      */
@@ -139,4 +147,4 @@ function matcher(cols){
     }
     return unique(matches);
   };
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/test/fixtures/basic/build/one.md b/test/fixtures/basic/build/one.md
index 43dd47e..d888cd7 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/basic/build/one.md
+++ b/test/fixtures/basic/build/one.md
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
+
 one
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/fixtures/basic/build/two.md b/test/fixtures/basic/build/two.md
index 64c5e58..f12fcfe 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/basic/build/two.md
+++ b/test/fixtures/basic/build/two.md
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
+
 two
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/fixtures/empty/build/one.md b/test/fixtures/empty/build/one.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a71c015
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/empty/build/one.md
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+
+one
diff --git a/test/fixtures/empty/src/one.md b/test/fixtures/empty/src/one.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..59ee133
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/empty/src/one.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+title: No collection here
+---
+
+one
diff --git a/test/fixtures/pattern/build/one.md b/test/fixtures/pattern/build/one.md
index 43dd47e..d888cd7 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/pattern/build/one.md
+++ b/test/fixtures/pattern/build/one.md
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
+
 one
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/fixtures/pattern/build/two.md b/test/fixtures/pattern/build/two.md
index 64c5e58..f12fcfe 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/pattern/build/two.md
+++ b/test/fixtures/pattern/build/two.md
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
+
 two
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/fixtures/references/build/one.md b/test/fixtures/references/build/one.md
index 43dd47e..d888cd7 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/references/build/one.md
+++ b/test/fixtures/references/build/one.md
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
+
 one
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/fixtures/references/build/three.md b/test/fixtures/references/build/three.md
index 1d19714..b57895e 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/references/build/three.md
+++ b/test/fixtures/references/build/three.md
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
+
 three
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/fixtures/references/build/two.md b/test/fixtures/references/build/two.md
index 64c5e58..f12fcfe 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/references/build/two.md
+++ b/test/fixtures/references/build/two.md
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
+
 two
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/fixtures/sort/build/one.md b/test/fixtures/sort/build/one.md
index 43dd47e..d888cd7 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/sort/build/one.md
+++ b/test/fixtures/sort/build/one.md
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
+
 one
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/fixtures/sort/build/three.md b/test/fixtures/sort/build/three.md
index 1d19714..b57895e 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/sort/build/three.md
+++ b/test/fixtures/sort/build/three.md
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
+
 three
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/fixtures/sort/build/two.md b/test/fixtures/sort/build/two.md
index 64c5e58..f12fcfe 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/sort/build/two.md
+++ b/test/fixtures/sort/build/two.md
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
+
 two
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/index.js b/test/index.js
index 2d08eb0..0f51a77 100644
--- a/test/index.js
+++ b/test/index.js
@@ -128,4 +128,21 @@ describe('metalsmith-collections', function(){
         done();
       });
   });
-});
\ No newline at end of file
+
+  it('should not fail with empty collections', function(done) {
+    var metalsmith = Metalsmith('test/fixtures/empty');
+    metalsmith
+      .use(collections({
+        articles: {
+          sortBy: 'date',
+          reverse: true
+        }
+      }))
+      .build(function(err) {
+        if (err) return done(err);
+        var articles = metalsmith.metadata().articles;
+        assert.equal(articles.length, 0);
+        done();
+      });
+  });
+});