diff --git a/dpctl/tensor/_ctors.py b/dpctl/tensor/_ctors.py
index 5126f40837..d0cce717b0 100644
--- a/dpctl/tensor/_ctors.py
+++ b/dpctl/tensor/_ctors.py
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ def _array_info_sequence(li):
             )
     if dim is None:
         dim = tuple()
+        dt = float
         device = _host_set
     return (n,) + dim, dt, device
 
diff --git a/dpctl/tests/test_tensor_asarray.py b/dpctl/tests/test_tensor_asarray.py
index 8c61fc9f13..d8c6f9d7ce 100644
--- a/dpctl/tests/test_tensor_asarray.py
+++ b/dpctl/tests/test_tensor_asarray.py
@@ -87,6 +87,11 @@ def test_asarray_from_sequence():
     assert type(Y) is dpt.usm_ndarray
     assert Y.shape == (0,)
 
+    X = [[], []]
+    Y = dpt.asarray(X, usm_type="device")
+    assert type(Y) is dpt.usm_ndarray
+    assert Y.shape == (2, 0)
+
     X = [True, False]
     Y = dpt.asarray(X, usm_type="device")
     assert type(Y) is dpt.usm_ndarray