diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-test.yaml b/.github/workflows/build-test.yaml
index 0a10953..3b9f77f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-test.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-test.yaml
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ jobs:
           go-version-file: 'go.mod'
 
       - name: Lint
-        uses: golangci/golangci-lint-action@v5
+        uses: golangci/golangci-lint-action@v6
         with:
           version: v1.58.0
           args: --timeout=5m --config=.golangci.yml
diff --git a/pkg/transformer/transformer.go b/pkg/transformer/transformer.go
index 39960ac..7f6071e 100644
--- a/pkg/transformer/transformer.go
+++ b/pkg/transformer/transformer.go
@@ -44,15 +44,15 @@ var prohibitedPlatformMetadataKeys = []string{"hostname", "platform"}
 //
 //nolint:gocyclo,cyclop
 func TransformNode(terms []NodeTerm, platformMetadata *runtime.PlatformMetadataSpec) (*NodeSpec, error) {
-	if len(terms) == 0 {
-		return nil, nil
-	}
-
 	node := &NodeSpec{
 		Annotations: make(map[string]string),
 		Labels:      make(map[string]string),
 	}
 
+	if len(terms) == 0 {
+		return node, nil
+	}
+
 	metadata := metadataFromStruct(platformMetadata)
 
 	for _, term := range terms {
diff --git a/pkg/transformer/transformer_test.go b/pkg/transformer/transformer_test.go
index 9f8953f..e77ece1 100644
--- a/pkg/transformer/transformer_test.go
+++ b/pkg/transformer/transformer_test.go
@@ -26,6 +26,10 @@ func TestMatch(t *testing.T) {
 				Platform: "test-platform",
 				Hostname: "test-hostname",
 			},
+			expected: &transformer.NodeSpec{
+				Annotations: map[string]string{},
+				Labels:      map[string]string{},
+			},
 		},
 		{
 			name: "Transform labels",