diff --git a/src/backups.js b/src/backups.js
index b1c49ab1c..cdc1543fc 100644
--- a/src/backups.js
+++ b/src/backups.js
@@ -937,7 +937,7 @@ function ensureBackup(auditSource, callback) {
                 return callback(null);
             }
 
-            tasks.startTask(tasks.TASK_BACKUP, [], auditSource, callback);
+            tasks.startTask(tasks.TASK_BACKUP, {}, auditSource, callback);
         });
     });
 }
diff --git a/src/routes/backups.js b/src/routes/backups.js
index 504d7fcb3..3986adeee 100644
--- a/src/routes/backups.js
+++ b/src/routes/backups.js
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ function list(req, res, next) {
 function startBackup(req, res, next) {
     // note that cloudron.backup only waits for backup initiation and not for backup to complete
     // backup progress can be checked up ny polling the progress api call
-    tasks.startTask(tasks.TASK_BACKUP, [], auditSource(req), function (error) {
+    tasks.startTask(tasks.TASK_BACKUP, {}, auditSource(req), function (error) {
         if (error && error.reason === TasksError.BAD_STATE) return next(new HttpError(409, error.message));
         if (error) return next(new HttpError(500, error));
 
diff --git a/src/routes/sysadmin.js b/src/routes/sysadmin.js
index 0daf1d1ca..181a56b06 100644
--- a/src/routes/sysadmin.js
+++ b/src/routes/sysadmin.js
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ function backup(req, res, next) {
     // note that cloudron.backup only waits for backup initiation and not for backup to complete
     // backup progress can be checked up ny polling the progress api call
     var auditSource = { userId: null, username: 'sysadmin' };
-    tasks.startTask(tasks.TASK_BACKUP, [], auditSource, function (error) {
+    tasks.startTask(tasks.TASK_BACKUP, {}, auditSource, function (error) {
         if (error && error.reason === TasksError.BAD_STATE) return next(new HttpError(409, error.message));
         if (error) return next(new HttpError(500, error));
 
diff --git a/src/taskdb.js b/src/taskdb.js
index 0be682c80..16ed3c8bc 100644
--- a/src/taskdb.js
+++ b/src/taskdb.js
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ function postProcess(result) {
     assert.strictEqual(typeof result, 'object');
 
     assert(result.argsJson === null || typeof result.argsJson === 'string');
-    result.args = safe.JSON.parse(result.argsJson);
+    result.args = safe.JSON.parse(result.argsJson) || {};
     delete result.argsJson;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/tasks.js b/src/tasks.js
index 2f23e131e..079d4fb53 100644
--- a/src/tasks.js
+++ b/src/tasks.js
@@ -97,12 +97,12 @@ function clear(id, callback) {
     assert.strictEqual(typeof id, 'string');
     assert.strictEqual(typeof callback, 'function');
 
-    update(id, { percent: 0, message: 'Starting', result: '', errorMessage: '' }, callback);
+    update(id, { percent: 0, message: 'Starting', result: '', errorMessage: '', args: {} }, callback);
 }
 
 function startTask(id, args, auditSource, callback) {
     assert.strictEqual(typeof id, 'string');
-    assert(Array.isArray(args));
+    assert(args && typeof args === 'object');
     assert.strictEqual(typeof auditSource, 'object');
     assert.strictEqual(typeof callback, 'function');
 
@@ -125,9 +125,9 @@ function startTask(id, args, auditSource, callback) {
     assert(!gTasks[id], 'Task is already running');
 
     clear(id, NOOP_CALLBACK);
-    eventlog.add(taskInfo.startEventId, auditSource, { });
+    eventlog.add(taskInfo.startEventId, auditSource, args);
 
-    gTasks[id] = child_process.fork(taskInfo.program, args, { stdio: [ 'pipe', fd, fd, 'ipc' ]});
+    gTasks[id] = child_process.fork(taskInfo.program, [], { stdio: [ 'pipe', fd, fd, 'ipc' ]});
     gTasks[id].once('exit', function (code, signal) {
         debug(`startTask: ${id} completed with code ${code} and signal ${signal}`);