diff --git a/app/views/courses/questions.json.jbuilder b/app/views/courses/questions.json.jbuilder
index 56efbedf11..b9d59bc736 100644
--- a/app/views/courses/questions.json.jbuilder
+++ b/app/views/courses/questions.json.jbuilder
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 json.unanswered do
-  json.array! @unanswered, partial: 'annotations/annotation', as: :annotation
+  json.array! @unanswered || [], partial: 'annotations/annotation', as: :annotation
 end
 
 json.in_progress do
-  json.array! @in_progress, partial: 'annotations/annotation', as: :annotation
+  json.array! @in_progress || [], partial: 'annotations/annotation', as: :annotation
 end
 
 json.answered do
-  json.array! @answered, partial: 'annotations/annotation', as: :annotation
+  json.array! @answered || [], partial: 'annotations/annotation', as: :annotation
 end