diff --git a/packages/eslint-plugin/src/rules/no-unnecessary-type-arguments.ts b/packages/eslint-plugin/src/rules/no-unnecessary-type-arguments.ts
index e900a0b0707..b68538e41d6 100644
--- a/packages/eslint-plugin/src/rules/no-unnecessary-type-arguments.ts
+++ b/packages/eslint-plugin/src/rules/no-unnecessary-type-arguments.ts
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ export default util.createRule<[], MessageIds>({
 
       // TODO: would like checker.areTypesEquivalent. https://github.com/Microsoft/TypeScript/issues/13502
       if (
-        !param.default ||
+        !param?.default ||
         param.default.getText() !== sourceCode.getText(arg)
       ) {
         return;
diff --git a/packages/eslint-plugin/tests/rules/no-unnecessary-type-arguments.test.ts b/packages/eslint-plugin/tests/rules/no-unnecessary-type-arguments.test.ts
index 51c1acf3285..ca81774d3dd 100644
--- a/packages/eslint-plugin/tests/rules/no-unnecessary-type-arguments.test.ts
+++ b/packages/eslint-plugin/tests/rules/no-unnecessary-type-arguments.test.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ ruleTester.run('no-unnecessary-type-arguments', rule, {
   valid: [
     `f<>();`,
     `f<string>();`,
+    `expect().toBe<>();`,
     `class Foo extends Bar<> {}`,
     `class Foo extends Bar<string> {}`,
     `class Foo implements Bar<> {}`,