diff --git a/dissect/target/plugins/os/windows/registry.py b/dissect/target/plugins/os/windows/registry.py
index a0084e808e..6ca95e43ea 100644
--- a/dissect/target/plugins/os/windows/registry.py
+++ b/dissect/target/plugins/os/windows/registry.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 import warnings
 from collections import defaultdict
 from functools import lru_cache
-from typing import Iterator, Optional, Union
+from typing import Iterator, Union
 
 from dissect.target.exceptions import HiveUnavailableError, RegistryKeyNotFoundError
 from dissect.target.helpers.fsutil import TargetPath
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ def root(self) -> KeyCollection:
 
     @internal
     @lru_cache(4096)
-    def key(self, key: Optional[str] = None) -> KeyCollection:
+    def key(self, key: str = "") -> KeyCollection:
         """Query the virtual registry on the given key.
 
         Returns a KeyCollection which contains all keys that match