diff --git a/app/serializers/datacite_doi_serializer.rb b/app/serializers/datacite_doi_serializer.rb
index 906d8d73e..36c897f28 100644
--- a/app/serializers/datacite_doi_serializer.rb
+++ b/app/serializers/datacite_doi_serializer.rb
@@ -192,7 +192,11 @@ class DataciteDoiSerializer
   end
 
   attribute :related_items do |object|
-    Array.wrap(object.related_items)
+    if object.related_items?
+      Array.wrap(object.related_items)
+    else
+      []
+    end
   end
 
   attribute :geo_locations,