diff --git a/http-api/src/main/java/net/runelite/http/api/RuneLiteAPI.java b/http-api/src/main/java/net/runelite/http/api/RuneLiteAPI.java
index 62b0a6676d..7d256096b6 100644
--- a/http-api/src/main/java/net/runelite/http/api/RuneLiteAPI.java
+++ b/http-api/src/main/java/net/runelite/http/api/RuneLiteAPI.java
@@ -268,7 +268,15 @@ public class RuneLiteAPI
 	{
 		try
 		{
-			String jsonData = new String(downloadUrl(new URL(GITHUB_API)));
+			byte[] commits = downloadUrl(new URL(GITHUB_API));
+
+			if (commits == null)
+			{
+				return null;
+			}
+
+			String jsonData = new String(commits);
+
 			for (String s : jsonData.split("\n"))
 			{
 				if (s.startsWith("\"sha\":"))