diff --git a/client/driver/java.go b/client/driver/java.go
index ef279c89c..b5ff45423 100644
--- a/client/driver/java.go
+++ b/client/driver/java.go
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ func (d *JavaDriver) Start(ctx *ExecContext, task *structs.Task) (DriverHandle,
 	// Get the environment variables.
 	envVars := TaskEnvironmentVariables(ctx, task)
 
-	args := []string{jvm_options}
+	args := []string{}
 	// Look for jvm options
 	jvm_options, ok := task.Config["jvm_options"]
 	if ok && jvm_options != "" {