diff --git a/packages/studio-plugin/src/types/CliArgs.ts b/packages/studio-plugin/src/types/CliArgs.ts
index 385121e05..8f0878cac 100644
--- a/packages/studio-plugin/src/types/CliArgs.ts
+++ b/packages/studio-plugin/src/types/CliArgs.ts
@@ -8,5 +8,5 @@ export interface CliArgs {
   // This option is always provided by the cac package, and we only use it to
   // configure Studio to run in React Strict Mode for internal development by
   // using `-- strict`.
-  "--": string[];
+  "--"?: string[];
 }
diff --git a/packages/studio/bin/studio.ts b/packages/studio/bin/studio.ts
index 61fd5e508..9e3e25946 100755
--- a/packages/studio/bin/studio.ts
+++ b/packages/studio/bin/studio.ts
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ cli
   .option("--port <port>", "[number] port to run studio")
   .option("--root <directory>", `[string] path to the root directory`)
   .action((options: CliArgs) => {
-    const useStrictMode = options["--"].includes("strict");
+    const useStrictMode = options["--"]?.includes("strict");
     spawnSync(
       "npx",
       [
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ cli
         env: {
           ...process.env,
           YEXT_STUDIO_ARGS: JSON.stringify(options),
-          VITE_STUDIO_STRICT: String(useStrictMode),
+          VITE_STUDIO_STRICT: String(useStrictMode ?? false),
         },
         shell: true,
       }