diff --git a/lib/jsctags/ctags/index.js b/lib/jsctags/ctags/index.js
index fff958c..aa65449 100644
--- a/lib/jsctags/ctags/index.js
+++ b/lib/jsctags/ctags/index.js
@@ -43,11 +43,11 @@ var TagWriter = require('./writer').TagWriter;
 var Trait = require('../traits').Trait;
 
 exports.Tags = function (initialTags) {
-    this.tags = initialTags != null ? initialTags : [];
     this.init();
 };
 
 exports.Tags.prototype = Object.create(Object.prototype, Trait.compose(Trait({
+    tags: [],
     _search: function (id, pred) {
         var shadowTag = { name: id };
         var tags = this.tags;