diff --git a/Pipfile b/Pipfile
index b2628c6f..91c287b3 100644
--- a/Pipfile
+++ b/Pipfile
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ verify_ssl = true
 name = "pypi"
 
 [packages]
-pytest = "==7.4.4"
+pytest = "==8.0.0"
 port-for = "==0.7.2"
 mirakuru = "==2.5.2"
 psycopg = "==3.1.17"
diff --git a/newsfragments/881.bugfix.rst b/newsfragments/881.bugfix.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..54362cb2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/newsfragments/881.bugfix.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Update postgresql_load default value for it to fallback into the empty list
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pytest_postgresql/plugin.py b/pytest_postgresql/plugin.py
index 4726f67a..d0a8ef9f 100644
--- a/pytest_postgresql/plugin.py
+++ b/pytest_postgresql/plugin.py
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ def pytest_addoption(parser: Parser) -> None:
 
     parser.addini(name="postgresql_dbname", help=_help_dbname, default="tests")
 
-    parser.addini(name="postgresql_load", type="pathlist", help=_help_load, default=None)
+    parser.addini(name="postgresql_load", type="pathlist", help=_help_load)
     parser.addini(name="postgresql_postgres_options", help=_help_postgres_options, default="")
 
     parser.addoption(