diff --git a/infra/conf/v5cfg/stream.go b/infra/conf/v5cfg/stream.go
index d907a6843..a8443d99a 100644
--- a/infra/conf/v5cfg/stream.go
+++ b/infra/conf/v5cfg/stream.go
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@ func (s StreamConfig) BuildV5(ctx context.Context) (proto.Message, error) {
 		s.Security = "none"
 	}
 
+	if s.TransportSettings == nil {
+		s.TransportSettings = []byte("{}")
+	}
 	transportConfigPack, err := loadHeterogeneousConfigFromRawJson("transport", s.Transport, s.TransportSettings)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, newError("unable to load transport config").Base(err)
@@ -28,6 +31,9 @@ func (s StreamConfig) BuildV5(ctx context.Context) (proto.Message, error) {
 		Settings:     serial.ToTypedMessage(transportConfigPack),
 	})
 
+	if s.SecuritySettings == nil {
+		s.SecuritySettings = []byte("{}")
+	}
 	securityConfigPack, err := loadHeterogeneousConfigFromRawJson("security", s.Security, s.SecuritySettings)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, newError("unable to load security config").Base(err)