diff --git a/lib/crono/job.rb b/lib/crono/job.rb
index bdd9b51..70413b4 100644
--- a/lib/crono/job.rb
+++ b/lib/crono/job.rb
@@ -9,13 +9,13 @@ module Crono
     attr_accessor :performer, :period, :job_args, :last_performed_at, :job_options,
                   :next_performed_at, :job_log, :job_logger, :healthy, :execution_interval
 
-    def initialize(performer, period, job_args, job_options = {})
+    def initialize(performer, period, job_args, job_options = nil)
       self.execution_interval = 0.minutes
       self.performer, self.period = performer, period
       self.job_args = JSON.generate(job_args) 
       self.job_log = StringIO.new
       self.job_logger = Logger.new(job_log)
-      self.job_options = job_options
+      self.job_options = job_options || {}
       self.next_performed_at = period.next
       @semaphore = Mutex.new
     end