diff --git a/namespace.go b/namespace.go
index a15d3d3..58f4ce2 100644
--- a/namespace.go
+++ b/namespace.go
@@ -43,7 +43,13 @@ func New() *Namespace {
 func (n *Namespace) WithVarMap(m map[string]any) *Namespace {
 	n.mu.Lock()
 	defer n.mu.Unlock()
-	n.vars = m
+
+	if m == nil {
+		n.vars = map[string]any{}
+	} else {
+		n.vars = m
+	}
+
 	return n
 }
 
@@ -52,10 +58,10 @@ func (n *Namespace) WithTagMap(m map[string]Tag) *Namespace {
 	n.mu.Lock()
 	defer n.mu.Unlock()
 
-	if m != nil {
-		n.tags = m
-	} else {
+	if m == nil {
 		n.tags = map[string]Tag{}
+	} else {
+		n.tags = m
 	}
 
 	return n
diff --git a/salix.go b/salix.go
index f943bda..1c3f6a0 100644
--- a/salix.go
+++ b/salix.go
@@ -67,17 +67,21 @@ type Template struct {
 
 // WithVarMap returns a copy of the template with its variable map set to m.
 func (t Template) WithVarMap(m map[string]any) Template {
-	t.vars = m
+	if m == nil {
+		t.vars = map[string]any{}
+	} else {
+		t.vars = m
+	}
 	return t
 }
 
 // WithTagMap returns a copy of the template with its tag map set to m.
 func (t Template) WithTagMap(m map[string]Tag) Template {
-	// Make sure the tag map is never nil to avoid panics
 	if m == nil {
-		m = map[string]Tag{}
+		t.tags = map[string]Tag{}
+	} else {
+		t.tags = m
 	}
-	t.tags = m
 	return t
 }