diff --git a/ogscm/cli_args.py b/ogscm/cli_args.py
index 90848b7c2fb0a32fe994ea69952095a192572a92..5d70bd4e93dcf7e00253dcf53a212f64627d9cba 100644
--- a/ogscm/cli_args.py
+++ b/ogscm/cli_args.py
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ class Cli_Args(argparse.ArgumentParser):
         switches_g.add_argument('--pip',
                                nargs='*',
                                type=str,
-                               default=[''],
+                               default=[],
                                metavar='package',
                                help='Install additional Python packages')
         maint_g = self.add_argument_group('Maintenance')