diff --git a/REFERENCE.md b/REFERENCE.md
index a133f9dc2..4a398e703 100644
--- a/REFERENCE.md
+++ b/REFERENCE.md
@@ -1211,19 +1211,19 @@ Default value: `undef`
 
 ##### <a name="-keepalived--vrrp--instance--track_file"></a>`track_file`
 
-Data type: `Optional[Array[String[1]]]`
+Data type: `Array[String[1]]`
 
 Define which file trackers to run. References a track_file block that can be created with keepalived::vrrp::track_file.
 
-Default value: `undef`
+Default value: `[]`
 
 ##### <a name="-keepalived--vrrp--instance--vrrp_track_file"></a>`vrrp_track_file`
 
-Data type: `Optional[Array[String[1]]]`
+Data type: `Array[String[1]]`
 
 Define which file trackers to run. Deprecated, for keepalived < 2.1.0. References a vrrp_track_file block that can be created with keepalived::vrrp::vrrp_track_file.
 
-Default value: `undef`
+Default value: `[]`
 
 ##### <a name="-keepalived--vrrp--instance--track_interface"></a>`track_interface`
 
diff --git a/manifests/vrrp/instance.pp b/manifests/vrrp/instance.pp
index d54b4a5f6..686ae977e 100644
--- a/manifests/vrrp/instance.pp
+++ b/manifests/vrrp/instance.pp
@@ -207,8 +207,8 @@
   Optional[Variant[String, Sensitive[String]]] $auth_pass                 = undef,
   $track_script                                                           = undef,
   Optional[Array[String[1]]] $track_process                               = undef,
-  Optional[Array[String[1]]] $track_file                                  = undef,
-  Optional[Array[String[1]]] $vrrp_track_file                             = undef,
+  Array[String[1]] $track_file                                            = [],
+  Array[String[1]] $vrrp_track_file                                       = [],
   $track_interface                                                        = undef,
   $lvs_interface                                                          = undef,
   $virtual_ipaddress_int                                                  = undef,
diff --git a/templates/vrrp_instance.erb b/templates/vrrp_instance.erb
index 48e008b9f..eb1d6f6bc 100644
--- a/templates/vrrp_instance.erb
+++ b/templates/vrrp_instance.erb
@@ -113,18 +113,18 @@ vrrp_instance <%= @_name %> {
   <%- end -%>
   }
   <%- end -%>
-  <%- if @track_file -%>
+  <%- unless @track_file.empty? -%>
 
   track_file {
-  <%- Array(@track_file).each do |track| -%>
+  <%- @track_file.each do |track| -%>
     <%= track %>
   <%- end -%>
   }
   <%- end -%>
-  <%- if @vrrp_track_file -%>
+  <%- unless @vrrp_track_file.empty? -%>
 
   vrrp_track_file {
-  <%- Array(@vrrp_track_file).each do |track| -%>
+  <%- @vrrp_track_file.each do |track| -%>
     <%= track %>
   <%- end -%>
   }