diff --git a/app/controllers/concerns/facetable.rb b/app/controllers/concerns/facetable.rb
index 52b986f0b..f73c6decf 100644
--- a/app/controllers/concerns/facetable.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/concerns/facetable.rb
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ def facet_by_affiliation(arr)
       # generate hash with id and name for each provider in facet
 
       ids = arr.map { |hsh| "\"#{hsh["key"]}\"" }.join(" ")
-      affiliations = Organization.query(ids, size: 1000)[:data]
+      affiliations = Organization.query(ids, size: 1000)[:data] || []
 
       arr.map do |hsh|
         { "id" => hsh["key"],
diff --git a/app/models/organization.rb b/app/models/organization.rb
index 78754df20..08042268c 100644
--- a/app/models/organization.rb
+++ b/app/models/organization.rb
@@ -27,8 +27,8 @@ def self.query(query, options={})
 
     response = Maremma.get(url, host: true)
 
-    return [] if response.status != 200
-    
+    return {} if response.status != 200
+
     data = Array.wrap(response.body.dig("data", "items")).map do |message|
       parse_message(id: message["id"], message: message)
     end
diff --git a/spec/models/organization_spec.rb b/spec/models/organization_spec.rb
index 1912a1a96..1297e64ab 100644
--- a/spec/models/organization_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/organization_spec.rb
@@ -51,5 +51,15 @@
       organizations = Organization.query(query)
       expect(organizations[:data]).to be_empty
     end
+
+    it "status code not 200" do
+      url = "https://api.ror.org/organizations?query=lincoln%20university"
+      stub = stub_request(:get, url).and_return(status: [408])
+      
+      query = "lincoln university"
+      organizations = Organization.query(query)
+      expect(organizations).to be_empty
+      expect(stub).to have_been_requested
+    end
   end
 end
\ No newline at end of file