diff --git a/src/typingsInstaller/nodeTypingsInstaller.ts b/src/typingsInstaller/nodeTypingsInstaller.ts
index 56b490e709d..ab050fd60bf 100644
--- a/src/typingsInstaller/nodeTypingsInstaller.ts
+++ b/src/typingsInstaller/nodeTypingsInstaller.ts
@@ -246,7 +246,9 @@ namespace ts.server.typingsInstaller {
     const installer = new NodeTypingsInstaller(globalTypingsCacheLocation!, typingSafeListLocation!, typesMapLocation!, npmLocation, validateDefaultNpmLocation, /*throttleLimit*/5, log); // TODO: GH#18217
     installer.listen();
 
-    function indent(newline: string, str: string): string {
-        return `${newline}    ` + str.replace(/\r?\n/, `${newline}    `);
+    function indent(newline: string, str: string | undefined): string {
+        return str && str.length
+            ? `${newline}    ` + str.replace(/\r?\n/, `${newline}    `)
+            : "";
     }
 }