diff --git a/.changeset/shy-vans-return.md b/.changeset/shy-vans-return.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d0df497cd6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/shy-vans-return.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/core-api': patch
+---
+
+Fix error when querying Backstage Identity with SAML authentication
diff --git a/packages/core-api/src/apis/implementations/auth/saml/SamlAuth.ts b/packages/core-api/src/apis/implementations/auth/saml/SamlAuth.ts
index e05f6266d6..af97ad8f36 100644
--- a/packages/core-api/src/apis/implementations/auth/saml/SamlAuth.ts
+++ b/packages/core-api/src/apis/implementations/auth/saml/SamlAuth.ts
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ class SamlAuth implements ProfileInfoApi, BackstageIdentityApi, SessionApi {
   }
 
   async getBackstageIdentity(
-    options: AuthRequestOptions,
+    options: AuthRequestOptions = {},
   ): Promise<BackstageIdentity | undefined> {
     const session = await this.sessionManager.getSession(options);
     return session?.backstageIdentity;