diff --git a/infra/base-images/base-builder/indexer/index_build.py b/infra/base-images/base-builder/indexer/index_build.py
index 65357d4305d9..b34988888312 100755
--- a/infra/base-images/base-builder/indexer/index_build.py
+++ b/infra/base-images/base-builder/indexer/index_build.py
@@ -652,8 +652,11 @@ def main():
     logging.warning('--target-args is deprecated, use --target-arg instead.')
     target_args = shlex.split(args.target_args)
   else:
-    logging.info('No target args specified.')
-    target_args = []
+    target_args = [manifest_types.INPUT_FILE]
+    logging.info(
+        'No target args specified. Defaulting to %s.', repr(target_args)
+    )
+
   if args.target_env:
     target_env = manifest_types.parse_env(args.target_env)
   else:
diff --git a/infra/base-images/base-builder/indexer/index_build_test.py b/infra/base-images/base-builder/indexer/index_build_test.py
index a9cd5c431690..503e56554a0b 100644
--- a/infra/base-images/base-builder/indexer/index_build_test.py
+++ b/infra/base-images/base-builder/indexer/index_build_test.py
@@ -101,6 +101,10 @@ def _check_archive(self, archive_path: pathlib.Path):
             self.assertIsNotNone(
                 tar.getmember('obj/' + manifest['binary_config']['binary_name'])
             )
+            self.assertCountEqual(
+                manifest['binary_config']['binary_args'],
+                ['<input_file>']
+            )
 
     self.assertTrue(has_obj_lib, 'obj/lib/ was not found in the archive.')
     self.assertTrue(