diff --git a/gittensor/classes.py b/gittensor/classes.py
index 2d4a8401..419dbe82 100644
--- a/gittensor/classes.py
+++ b/gittensor/classes.py
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ def from_graphql_response(cls, pr_data: dict, uid: int, hotkey: str, github_id:
             hotkey=hotkey,
             github_id=github_id,
             title=pr_data['title'],
-            author_login=pr_data['author']['login'],
+            author_login=(pr_data.get('author') or {}).get('login', 'ghost'),
             merged_at=merged_at,
             created_at=parse_github_timestamp_to_cst(pr_data['createdAt']),
             pr_state=pr_state,
diff --git a/gittensor/utils/github_api_tools.py b/gittensor/utils/github_api_tools.py
index dedeadc6..c6393ad6 100644
--- a/gittensor/utils/github_api_tools.py
+++ b/gittensor/utils/github_api_tools.py
@@ -926,11 +926,12 @@ def should_skip_merged_pr(
         )
 
     # Skip if PR was merged by the same person who created it (self-merge) AND there's no approvals from a differing party
-    if pr_raw['mergedBy'] and pr_raw['author']['login'] == pr_raw['mergedBy']['login']:
+    pr_author_login = (pr_raw.get('author') or {}).get('login', 'ghost')
+    if pr_raw['mergedBy'] and pr_author_login == pr_raw['mergedBy']['login']:
         # Check if there are any approvals from users other than the author
         reviews = pr_raw.get('reviews', {}).get('nodes', [])
         has_external_approval = any(
-            review.get('author') and review['author']['login'] != pr_raw['author']['login'] for review in reviews
+            review.get('author') and review['author']['login'] != pr_author_login for review in reviews
         )
 
         if not has_external_approval: