diff --git a/src/babelPluginTsdx.ts b/src/babelPluginTsdx.ts
index 628efe13f..249f29e8a 100644
--- a/src/babelPluginTsdx.ts
+++ b/src/babelPluginTsdx.ts
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ export const babelPluginTsdx = babelPlugin.custom((babelCore: any) => ({
               modules: false,
               exclude: merge(
                 ['transform-async-to-generator', 'transform-regenerator'],
-                preset.options.exclude || []
+                (preset.options && preset.options.exclude) || []
               ),
             }
           ),