diff --git a/backlogger.py b/backlogger.py
index 020f7bc..b655418 100755
--- a/backlogger.py
+++ b/backlogger.py
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ def reminder_exists(conf, poo, msg):
     if "journals" in root["issue"]:
         journals = root["issue"]["journals"]
         for journal in journals:
-            if not "notes" in journal or len(journal["notes"]) == 0:
+            if journal.get("notes", None) is None or len(journal["notes"]) == 0:
                 continue
             if re.search(reminder_regex, journal["notes"]):
                 return True
diff --git a/tests/test_comments.py b/tests/test_comments.py
index 93d3aa0..5524364 100755
--- a/tests/test_comments.py
+++ b/tests/test_comments.py
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ def test_comments(self):
         ]
         backlogger.json_rest.assert_has_calls(calls)
 
+
     def test_no_repeat(self):
         data = {"url": "https://example.com/issues", "web": "https://example.com/wiki",
                 "api": "https://example.com/issues.json",
@@ -67,8 +68,9 @@ def test_no_repeat(self):
                 "priority": { "id": 6, "name": "Urgent" },
                 "journals": [
                     { "id": 1, "notes": "" },
+                    { "id": 2, "notes": None },
                     {
-                        "id": 2,
+                        "id": 3,
                         "notes": "This ticket was set to **High** priority but was not updated [within the SLO period](https://example.com/issues). Please consider picking up this ticket or just set the ticket to the next lower priority.",
                     },
                 ],