diff --git a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/nodes/core/common/25-status.js b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/nodes/core/common/25-status.js
index 8c56e2030..c494883b7 100644
--- a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/nodes/core/common/25-status.js
+++ b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/nodes/core/common/25-status.js
@@ -20,13 +20,15 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
     function StatusNode(n) {
         RED.nodes.createNode(this,n);
         var node = this;
-        this.scope = n.scope || [];
+        this.scope = n.scope;
 
         // auto-filter out any directly connected nodes to avoid simple loopback
-        const w = this.wires.flat();
-        for (let i=0; i < this.scope.length; i++) {
-            if (w.includes(this.scope[i])) {
-                this.scope.splice(i, 1);
+        if (Array.isArray(this.scope)) {
+            const w = this.wires.flat();
+            for (let i = 0; i < this.scope.length; i++) {
+                if (w.includes(this.scope[i])) {
+                    this.scope.splice(i, 1);
+                }
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/test/nodes/core/common/25-status_spec.js b/test/nodes/core/common/25-status_spec.js
index 9457d4372..af5b9dab2 100644
--- a/test/nodes/core/common/25-status_spec.js
+++ b/test/nodes/core/common/25-status_spec.js
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
  **/
 
 var should = require("should");
-var catchNode = require("nr-test-utils").require("@node-red/nodes/core/common/25-status.js");
+var statusNode = require("nr-test-utils").require("@node-red/nodes/core/common/25-status.js");
 var helper = require("node-red-node-test-helper");
 
 describe('status Node', function() {
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ describe('status Node', function() {
     it('should output a message when called', function(done) {
         var flow = [ { id:"n1", type:"status", name:"status", wires:[["n2"]], scope:[] },
             {id:"n2", type:"helper"} ];
-        helper.load(catchNode, flow, function() {
+        helper.load(statusNode, flow, function() {
             var n1 = helper.getNode("n1");
             var n2 = helper.getNode("n2");
             n1.should.have.property('name', 'status');