diff --git a/webclient/webclient/src/main/java/io/helidon/webclient/Proxy.java b/webclient/webclient/src/main/java/io/helidon/webclient/Proxy.java
index d1bef260596..704e6017c86 100644
--- a/webclient/webclient/src/main/java/io/helidon/webclient/Proxy.java
+++ b/webclient/webclient/src/main/java/io/helidon/webclient/Proxy.java
@@ -427,7 +427,7 @@ private Builder() {
         @Override
         public Proxy build() {
             if ((host == null || host.isEmpty()) && systemSelector == null) {
-                return NO_PROXY;
+                useSystemSelector(true);
             }
             return new Proxy(this);
         }
diff --git a/webclient/webclient/src/test/java/io/helidon/webclient/ProxyTest.java b/webclient/webclient/src/test/java/io/helidon/webclient/ProxyTest.java
index 59b690be867..dd40b1806fb 100644
--- a/webclient/webclient/src/test/java/io/helidon/webclient/ProxyTest.java
+++ b/webclient/webclient/src/test/java/io/helidon/webclient/ProxyTest.java
@@ -166,6 +166,18 @@ void testDefaultProxyType() {
         assertThat(proxy.type(), is(Proxy.ProxyType.HTTP));
     }
 
+    @Test
+    void testDefaultSystem1() {
+        Proxy proxy = Proxy.create();
+        assertThat(proxy.type(), is(Proxy.ProxyType.SYSTEM));
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void testDefaultSystem2() {
+        Proxy proxy = Proxy.create(Config.empty());
+        assertThat(proxy.type(), is(Proxy.ProxyType.SYSTEM));
+    }
+
     private void validateRelativizeNoProxy(WebClientConfiguration webConfig) {
         boolean relativeUris = webConfig.relativeUris();
         Proxy proxy = webConfig.proxy().get();