diff --git a/lib/Repository.js b/lib/Repository.js
index 3908775c..daf9443f 100644
--- a/lib/Repository.js
+++ b/lib/Repository.js
@@ -749,6 +749,7 @@ class Repository extends Requestable {
     * @return {Promise} - the promise for the http request
     */
    writeFile(branch, path, content, message, options, cb) {
+      options = options || {};
       if (typeof options === 'function') {
          cb = options;
          options = {};
diff --git a/test/repository.spec.js b/test/repository.spec.js
index 3de25bef..7102874b 100644
--- a/test/repository.spec.js
+++ b/test/repository.spec.js
@@ -385,6 +385,16 @@ describe('Repository', function() {
          }));
       });
 
+      it('should successfully write to repo when not providing optional options argument', function(done) {
+         const promise = remoteRepo.writeFile('master', fileName, initialText, initialMessage);
+         promise.then(() => remoteRepo.getContents('master', fileName, 'raw',
+            assertSuccessful(done, function(err, fileText) {
+               expect(fileText).to.be(initialText);
+
+               done();
+            })))
+      });
+
       it('should rename files', function(done) {
          remoteRepo.writeFile('master', fileName, initialText, initialMessage, assertSuccessful(done, function() {
             wait()().then(() => remoteRepo.move('master', fileName, 'new_name', assertSuccessful(done, function() {