diff --git a/selfdrive/car/__init__.py b/selfdrive/car/__init__.py
index bf8c55fee0..63bcb831f2 100644
--- a/selfdrive/car/__init__.py
+++ b/selfdrive/car/__init__.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ def create_button_events(cur_btn: int, prev_btn: int, buttons_dict: Dict[int, ca
   events: List[capnp.lib.capnp._DynamicStructBuilder] = []
 
   if cur_btn == prev_btn:
-    return events
+    return []
 
   # Add events for button presses, multiple when a button switches without going to unpressed
   for pressed, btn in ((False, prev_btn), (True, cur_btn)):