diff --git a/cmd/fortifyExecuteScan.go b/cmd/fortifyExecuteScan.go
index c04cae339..ef41a1b25 100644
--- a/cmd/fortifyExecuteScan.go
+++ b/cmd/fortifyExecuteScan.go
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ func runFortifyScan(config fortifyExecuteScanOptions, sys fortify.System, utils
 		log.Entry().Debugf("Looked up / created project version with ID %v for PR %v", projectVersion.ID, fortifyProjectVersion)
 	} else {
 		prID, prAuthor := determinePullRequestMerge(config)
-		if len(prID) > 0 {
+		if prID != "0" {
 			log.Entry().Debugf("Determined PR ID '%v' for merge check", prID)
 			if len(prAuthor) > 0 && !piperutils.ContainsString(config.Assignees, prAuthor) {
 				log.Entry().Debugf("Determined PR Author '%v' for result assignment", prAuthor)
@@ -957,16 +957,22 @@ func determinePullRequestMerge(config fortifyExecuteScanOptions) (string, string
 	if matches != nil && len(matches) > 1 {
 		return string(matches[config.PullRequestMessageRegexGroup]), author
 	}
-	return "", ""
+	return "0", ""
 }
 
 func determinePullRequestMergeGithub(ctx context.Context, config fortifyExecuteScanOptions, pullRequestServiceInstance pullRequestService) (string, string, error) {
+	number := "0"
+	email := ""
 	options := github.PullRequestListOptions{State: "closed", Sort: "updated", Direction: "desc"}
 	prList, _, err := pullRequestServiceInstance.ListPullRequestsWithCommit(ctx, config.Owner, config.Repository, config.CommitID, &options)
 	if err == nil && len(prList) > 0 {
-		return fmt.Sprintf("%v", prList[0].GetNumber()), *prList[0].User.Email, nil
+		number = fmt.Sprintf("%v", prList[0].GetNumber())
+		if nil != prList[0].User {
+			email = *(prList[0].User.Email)
+		}
+		return number, email, nil
 	}
-	return "", "", err
+	return number, email, err
 }
 
 func appendToOptions(config *fortifyExecuteScanOptions, options []string, t map[string]string) []string {
diff --git a/cmd/fortifyExecuteScan_test.go b/cmd/fortifyExecuteScan_test.go
index 9be1dfae2..b330b923f 100644
--- a/cmd/fortifyExecuteScan_test.go
+++ b/cmd/fortifyExecuteScan_test.go
@@ -287,6 +287,8 @@ func (prService pullRequestServiceMock) ListPullRequestsWithCommit(ctx context.C
 		return []*github.PullRequest{{Number: &result, User: &user}}, &github.Response{}, nil
 	} else if owner == "C" {
 		return []*github.PullRequest{{User: &user}}, &github.Response{}, errors.New("Test error")
+	} else if owner == "E" {
+		return []*github.PullRequest{{User: nil}}, &github.Response{}, errors.New("Test error")
 	}
 	return []*github.PullRequest{}, &github.Response{}, nil
 }
@@ -751,7 +753,7 @@ func TestDeterminePullRequestMerge(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Run("no match", func(t *testing.T) {
 		config.CommitMessage = "Some test commit"
 		match, authorString := determinePullRequestMerge(config)
-		assert.Equal(t, "", match, "Expected different result")
+		assert.Equal(t, "0", match, "Expected different result")
 		assert.Equal(t, "", authorString, "Expected different result")
 	})
 }
@@ -769,14 +771,14 @@ func TestDeterminePullRequestMergeGithub(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Run("no match", func(t *testing.T) {
 		match, authorString, err := determinePullRequestMergeGithub(nil, fortifyExecuteScanOptions{Owner: "B"}, prServiceMock)
 		assert.NoError(t, err)
-		assert.Equal(t, "", match, "Expected different result")
+		assert.Equal(t, "0", match, "Expected different result")
 		assert.Equal(t, "", authorString, "Expected different result")
 	})
 
 	t.Run("error", func(t *testing.T) {
-		match, authorString, err := determinePullRequestMergeGithub(nil, fortifyExecuteScanOptions{Owner: "C"}, prServiceMock)
+		match, authorString, err := determinePullRequestMergeGithub(nil, fortifyExecuteScanOptions{Owner: "E"}, prServiceMock)
 		assert.EqualError(t, err, "Test error")
-		assert.Equal(t, "", match, "Expected different result")
+		assert.Equal(t, "0", match, "Expected different result")
 		assert.Equal(t, "", authorString, "Expected different result")
 	})
 }