diff --git a/app/Listeners/SourceHeartbeatListener.php b/app/Listeners/SourceHeartbeatListener.php
index dfa5c8ac..90f05d53 100644
--- a/app/Listeners/SourceHeartbeatListener.php
+++ b/app/Listeners/SourceHeartbeatListener.php
@@ -107,14 +107,14 @@ private function getLastFailoverLockTimestamp()
 
     private function getRecentFails()
     {
-        $fails = [];
-
         try {
             $failsJson = Storage::get('failovers.json');
             $fails = json_decode($failsJson, true);
         } catch (\Exception $e) {
         }
 
+        $fails = $fails ?? [];
+
         // remove any fails greater than SOURCE_BAD_HEALTH_RANGE
         foreach ($fails as $fail) {