diff --git a/rules/license.bzl b/rules/license.bzl
index 16d38ad..7e80018 100644
--- a/rules/license.bzl
+++ b/rules/license.bzl
@@ -55,7 +55,6 @@ _license = rule(
         ),
         "license_text": attr.label(
             allow_single_file = True,
-            default = "LICENSE",
             doc = "The license file.",
         ),
         "package_name": attr.string(
diff --git a/tests/BUILD b/tests/BUILD
index dc1bcfa..e6db493 100644
--- a/tests/BUILD
+++ b/tests/BUILD
@@ -49,6 +49,13 @@ license(
     license_text = "LICENSE.extra",
 )
 
+license(
+    name = "license_without_file",
+    package_name = "A test case package",
+    license_kinds = ["//licenses/spdx:Apache-2.0"],
+    license_text = None,
+)
+
 cc_binary(
     name = "hello",
     srcs = ["hello.cc"],
@@ -89,6 +96,9 @@ java_binary(
 java_library(
     name = "j_bar",
     srcs = ["Bar.java"],
+    applicable_licenses = [
+        ":license_without_file",
+    ],
     javacopts = ["-Xep:DefaultPackage:OFF"],
 )
 
@@ -113,8 +123,8 @@ py_test(
     name = "hello_licenses_test",
     srcs = ["hello_licenses_test.py"],
     data = [
-        ":hello_licenses.json",
         ":hello_cc_copyrights.txt",
+        ":hello_licenses.json",
     ],
     python_version = "PY3",
     deps = [
@@ -139,11 +149,10 @@ check_license(
     ],
 )
 
-
 license(
     name = "license_with_generated_text",
-    license_text = ":created_license",
     license_kinds = [":generic_notice_license"],
+    license_text = ":created_license",
 )
 
 genrule(
@@ -151,4 +160,3 @@ genrule(
     outs = ["something.text"],
     cmd = "echo hello >$@",
 )
-