diff --git a/build-system/common/colors.js b/build-system/common/colors.js
index b9bc7dde3baaf..b09f3deaad340 100644
--- a/build-system/common/colors.js
+++ b/build-system/common/colors.js
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ module.exports = Object.entries(colors).reduce((map, [key, formatter]) => {
   }
   map[key] = function (input) {
     if (!input) {
-      return '';
+      return `${input}`;
     }
 
     if (input instanceof Array) {
diff --git a/build-system/test-configs/dep-check-config.js b/build-system/test-configs/dep-check-config.js
index 6c789afe0d5ce..e0b912e7e9737 100644
--- a/build-system/test-configs/dep-check-config.js
+++ b/build-system/test-configs/dep-check-config.js
@@ -553,4 +553,10 @@ exports.rules = [
       /** DO NOT ADD TO ALLOWLIST */
     ],
   },
+  // Rules for build-system
+  {
+    filesMatching: 'build-system/**/*.js',
+    mustNotDependOn: 'kleur/colors',
+    allowlist: ['build-system/common/colors.js'],
+  },
 ];