diff --git a/update.elv b/update.elv
index 7bf4d15..b071890 100644
--- a/update.elv
+++ b/update.elv
@@ -73,7 +73,11 @@ fn check-commit [&commit=(current-commit-or-tag) &verbose=$false]{
       compare = [(re:split "\r\n\r\n" $compare)]
       headers = $compare[-2]
       json = (echo $compare[-1] | from-json)
-      if (and (has-key $json total_commits) (> $json[total_commits] 0)) {
+      total_commits = 0
+      if (and (has-key $json total_commits)) {
+        total_commits = $json[total_commits]
+      }
+      if (> $total_commits 0) {
         echo (styled $update-message yellow)
         if $verbose {
           for commit $json[commits] {