diff --git a/drf_spectacular/plumbing.py b/drf_spectacular/plumbing.py
index 349aae4a..e9a22ad3 100644
--- a/drf_spectacular/plumbing.py
+++ b/drf_spectacular/plumbing.py
@@ -1408,7 +1408,7 @@ def build_serializer_context(view) -> typing.Dict[str, Any]:
         return {'request': view.request}
 
 
-def process_webhooks(webhooks: Union[List[OpenApiWebhook], None], registry: ComponentRegistry) -> _SchemaType:
+def process_webhooks(webhooks: List[OpenApiWebhook], registry: ComponentRegistry) -> _SchemaType:
     """
     Creates a mocked view for every webhook. The given extend_schema decorator then
     specifies the expectations on the receiving end of the callback. Effectively
@@ -1416,9 +1416,6 @@ def process_webhooks(webhooks: Union[List[OpenApiWebhook], None], registry: Comp
     """
     result = {}
 
-    if webhooks is None:
-        return result
-
     for webhook in webhooks:
         if isinstance(webhook.decorator, dict):
             methods = webhook.decorator
diff --git a/drf_spectacular/settings.py b/drf_spectacular/settings.py
index 936c74dd..629b6114 100644
--- a/drf_spectacular/settings.py
+++ b/drf_spectacular/settings.py
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@
     'TAGS': [],
     # Optional: List of OpenAPI 3.1 webhooks. Each entry should be an import path to an
     # OpenApiWebhook instance.
-    'WEBHOOKS': None,
+    'WEBHOOKS': [],
     # Optional: MUST contain 'url', may contain "description"
     'EXTERNAL_DOCS': {},