diff --git a/sandbox-app/simple-array.tsx b/sandbox-app/simple-array.tsx
index f6aa3c0..ca58fde 100644
--- a/sandbox-app/simple-array.tsx
+++ b/sandbox-app/simple-array.tsx
@@ -6,9 +6,7 @@ interface Model {
   emails?: string[];
 }
 
-const initialValue: Model = {
-  emails: ['bye@example.com', 'stay@example.com'],
-};
+const initialValue: Model = {};
 
 export function SimpleArray(): JSX.Element {
   const {
diff --git a/src/field.ts b/src/field.ts
index 8a75423..d23c3e5 100644
--- a/src/field.ts
+++ b/src/field.ts
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@ import { MappedValidation, validateValue } from './validation';
 for each field. In this case, for each field of T, string | number you
 get back a FormField type */
 export type MappedFields<T> = {
-  [P in keyof Required<T>]: T[P] extends unknown[]
-    ? FieldSet<T[P][0]>
+  [P in keyof Required<T>]: T[P] extends unknown[] | undefined
+    ? FieldSet<NonNullable<T[P]>[0]>
     : T[P] extends Record<string, unknown> | undefined | null
     ? NestedField<NonNullable<T[P]>>
     : Field<T[P]>;
@@ -127,6 +127,10 @@ export class FieldImplementation<T, Model>
   }
 
   add(element: T): void {
+    if (!this.value) {
+      this.value = [] as unknown as T;
+    }
+
     this.value = [
       ...(this.value as unknown as unknown[]),
       element,
@@ -224,9 +228,12 @@ export class FieldImplementation<T, Model>
   #createSubfields(): void {
     const value = this.value;
     if (Array.isArray(value)) {
-      this.elements = value.map((e, index) =>
-        this.createFieldSetField(e, this.#originalValue[index])
-      );
+      this.elements = value.map((e, index) => {
+        if (this.#originalValue === undefined) {
+          return this.createFieldSetField(e, e);
+        }
+        return this.createFieldSetField(e, this.#originalValue[index]);
+      });
     } else {
       // make sure as many fields as possible are initialized
       if (this.isNestedValidation) {
diff --git a/src/form.spec.ts b/src/form.spec.ts
index b769e10..cdb352e 100644
--- a/src/form.spec.ts
+++ b/src/form.spec.ts
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ interface Model {
   age: number;
   description?: string;
   nullableValue: string | null;
-  emails: string[];
+  emails?: string[];
   address?: {
     streetName?: string;
     streetNumber?: number;
@@ -43,7 +43,6 @@ const defaultValue: Model = {
   name: '',
   age: 18,
   nullableValue: null,
-  emails: [],
   hobbies: [],
 };
 
@@ -253,7 +252,7 @@ describe(Form, () => {
       const form = createForm({
         validations: {
           emails: ({ model }) =>
-            model.emails.length === 0 ? ['specify at least one'] : [],
+            (model.emails ?? []).length === 0 ? ['specify at least one'] : [],
         },
       });
       expect(form.fields.emails.errors).toEqual(['specify at least one']);
@@ -476,18 +475,14 @@ describe(Form, () => {
   describe('fields array', () => {
     describe('creating', () => {
       it('creates empty array', () => {
-        const form = createForm({
-          value: { emails: [] },
-        });
+        const form = createForm();
         const emails = form.fields.emails;
         expect(emails.elements).toBeDefined();
         expect(Array.isArray(emails.elements)).toEqual(true);
         expect(emails.elements.length).toEqual(0);
       });
       it('adds a new field', () => {
-        const form = createForm({
-          value: { emails: [] },
-        });
+        const form = createForm();
         const emails = form.fields.emails;
         emails.add('test');
         expect(emails.value.length).toEqual(1);