diff --git a/agenda/thespacedevs.py b/agenda/thespacedevs.py
index 8ca9428..4092f40 100644
--- a/agenda/thespacedevs.py
+++ b/agenda/thespacedevs.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ Summary = dict[str, typing.Any]
 ttl = 60 * 60 * 2  # two hours
 
 
-def next_launch_api_data(rocket_dir: str, limit: int = 200) -> StrDict:
+def next_launch_api_data(rocket_dir: str, limit: int = 200) -> StrDict | None:
     """Get the next upcoming launches from the API."""
     now = datetime.now()
     filename = os.path.join(rocket_dir, now.strftime("%Y-%m-%d_%H:%M:%S.json"))
@@ -24,14 +24,19 @@ def next_launch_api_data(rocket_dir: str, limit: int = 200) -> StrDict:
 
     params: dict[str, str | int] = {"limit": limit}
     r = requests.get(url, params=params)
-    data: StrDict = r.json()
+    try:
+        data: StrDict = r.json()
+    except requests.exceptions.JSONDecodeError:
+        return None
     open(filename, "w").write(r.text)
     return data
 
 
-def next_launch_api(rocket_dir: str, limit: int = 200) -> list[Launch]:
+def next_launch_api(rocket_dir: str, limit: int = 200) -> list[Launch] | None:
     """Get the next upcoming launches from the API."""
     data = next_launch_api_data(rocket_dir, limit)
+    if not data:
+        return None
     return [summarize_launch(launch) for launch in data["results"]]
 
 
diff --git a/update.py b/update.py
index 01ec251..bb21070 100755
--- a/update.py
+++ b/update.py
@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ def update_thespacedevs(config: flask.config.Config) -> None:
     rocket_dir = os.path.join(config["DATA_DIR"], "thespacedevs")
 
     existing_data = agenda.thespacedevs.load_cached_launches(rocket_dir)
+    assert existing_data
     prev_launches = {
         slug: get_launch_by_slug(existing_data, slug)
         for slug in config["FOLLOW_LAUNCHES"]
@@ -121,6 +122,8 @@ def update_thespacedevs(config: flask.config.Config) -> None:
 
     t0 = time()
     data = agenda.thespacedevs.next_launch_api_data(rocket_dir)
+    if not data:
+        return  # thespacedevs API call failed
     cur_launches = {
         slug: get_launch_by_slug(data, slug) for slug in config["FOLLOW_LAUNCHES"]
     }