diff --git a/lib/eslint/flat-eslint.js b/lib/eslint/flat-eslint.js
index c1ea80a3062..3a79cef20a1 100644
--- a/lib/eslint/flat-eslint.js
+++ b/lib/eslint/flat-eslint.js
@@ -665,13 +665,12 @@ class FlatESLint {
      */
     getRulesMetaForResults(results) {
 
-        const resultRules = new Map();
-
         // short-circuit simple case
         if (results.length === 0) {
-            return resultRules;
+            return {};
         }
 
+        const resultRules = new Map();
         const { configs } = privateMembers.get(this);
 
         /*
diff --git a/tests/lib/eslint/eslint.js b/tests/lib/eslint/eslint.js
index 74f26cfa896..9a3ee9b2538 100644
--- a/tests/lib/eslint/eslint.js
+++ b/tests/lib/eslint/eslint.js
@@ -4971,7 +4971,7 @@ describe("ESLint", () => {
 
             const rulesMeta = engine.getRulesMetaForResults([]);
 
-            assert.strictEqual(Object.keys(rulesMeta).length, 0);
+            assert.deepStrictEqual(rulesMeta, {});
         });
 
         it("should return one rule meta when there is a linting error", async () => {
diff --git a/tests/lib/eslint/flat-eslint.js b/tests/lib/eslint/flat-eslint.js
index ed08b36ff13..be2a5d617ce 100644
--- a/tests/lib/eslint/flat-eslint.js
+++ b/tests/lib/eslint/flat-eslint.js
@@ -3754,7 +3754,7 @@ describe("FlatESLint", () => {
 
             const rulesMeta = engine.getRulesMetaForResults([]);
 
-            assert.strictEqual(Object.keys(rulesMeta).length, 0);
+            assert.deepStrictEqual(rulesMeta, {});
         });
 
         it("should return one rule meta when there is a linting error", async () => {