diff --git a/frappe/tests/test_safe_exec.py b/frappe/tests/test_safe_exec.py
index 1e370a1160..15d898b716 100644
--- a/frappe/tests/test_safe_exec.py
+++ b/frappe/tests/test_safe_exec.py
@@ -77,4 +77,4 @@ class TestSafeExec(FrappeTestCase):
 		self.assertRaises(SyntaxError, safe_exec, """frappe.msgprint("Hello")""", unsafe_global)
 
 	def test_frappe_dict_in_jinja(self):
-		frappe.render_template("{% set my_dict = _dict() %} {{- my_dict.works -}}", {})
+		frappe.render_template("{% set my_dict = _dict() %} {{- my_dict.works -}}")
diff --git a/frappe/utils/jinja.py b/frappe/utils/jinja.py
index 5e3a70554d..01ab5ab48c 100644
--- a/frappe/utils/jinja.py
+++ b/frappe/utils/jinja.py
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ def validate_template(html):
 		frappe.throw(frappe._("Syntax error in template"))
 
 
-def render_template(template, context, is_path=None, safe_render=True):
+def render_template(template, context=None, is_path=None, safe_render=True):
 	"""Render a template using Jinja
 
 	:param template: path or HTML containing the jinja template
@@ -76,6 +76,9 @@ def render_template(template, context, is_path=None, safe_render=True):
 	if not template:
 		return ""
 
+	if not context:
+		context = {}
+
 	if is_path or guess_is_path(template):
 		return get_jenv().get_template(template).render(context)
 	else: