diff --git a/src/vector_of_array.jl b/src/vector_of_array.jl
index 2609d9ff..cf32d89d 100644
--- a/src/vector_of_array.jl
+++ b/src/vector_of_array.jl
@@ -297,10 +297,7 @@ function DiffEqArray(vec::AbstractVector{VT}, ts::AbstractVector, p::NTuple{N2,
 end
 
 # first element representative
-function DiffEqArray(vec::AbstractVector, ts::AbstractVector, p, sys; discretes = nothing, variables = nothing, parameters = nothing, independent_variables = nothing)
-    sys = SymbolCache(something(variables, []),
-            something(parameters, []),
-            something(independent_variables, []))
+function DiffEqArray(vec::AbstractVector, ts::AbstractVector, p, sys; discretes = nothing)
     _size = size(vec[1])
     T = eltype(vec[1])
     return DiffEqArray{
diff --git a/test/interface_tests.jl b/test/interface_tests.jl
index 674d933c..3384848a 100644
--- a/test/interface_tests.jl
+++ b/test/interface_tests.jl
@@ -298,3 +298,8 @@ end
     @test darr.sys == "A"
     @test ndims(darr) == 3
 end
+
+@testset "System retained in 4-argument constructor" begin
+    darr = DiffEqArray([ones(2)], [1.0], :params, :sys)
+    @test darr.sys == :sys
+end