diff --git a/docs/news.rst b/docs/news.rst
index 365dd76..090e862 100644
--- a/docs/news.rst
+++ b/docs/news.rst
@@ -1,6 +1,14 @@
 Release Notes
 =============
 
+4.1.0 (2024-02-01)
+------------------
+
+* Support pytest 8.0
+
+  * Thanks to `@sandre35 <https://github.com/sandre35>`_ for reporting the issue and the PR.
+
+
 4.0.2 (2023-11-20)
 ------------------
 
diff --git a/src/pytest_selenium/pytest_selenium.py b/src/pytest_selenium/pytest_selenium.py
index e83e5c1..2af0c9a 100644
--- a/src/pytest_selenium/pytest_selenium.py
+++ b/src/pytest_selenium/pytest_selenium.py
@@ -400,7 +400,7 @@ def pytest_addoption(parser):
     parser.addini(
         "selenium_exclude_debug",
         help="debug to exclude from capture",
-        default=os.getenv("SELENIUM_EXCLUDE_DEBUG"),
+        default=os.getenv("SELENIUM_EXCLUDE_DEBUG", ""),
     )
 
     _auth_choices = ("none", "token", "hour", "day")