diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/com/liftric/dtcp/model/DependencyTrack.kt b/src/main/kotlin/com/liftric/dtcp/model/DependencyTrack.kt
index 898cc3f..cfde742 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/com/liftric/dtcp/model/DependencyTrack.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/com/liftric/dtcp/model/DependencyTrack.kt
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ data class Project(
     val version: String,
     val active: Boolean,
     val classifier: String,
-    val directDependencies: String,
+    val directDependencies: String? = null,
     val lastInheritedRiskScore: Double? = null,
 )
 
diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/com/liftric/dtcp/tasks/GetOutdatedDependenciesTask.kt b/src/main/kotlin/com/liftric/dtcp/tasks/GetOutdatedDependenciesTask.kt
index b285706..10c944f 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/com/liftric/dtcp/tasks/GetOutdatedDependenciesTask.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/com/liftric/dtcp/tasks/GetOutdatedDependenciesTask.kt
@@ -51,6 +51,10 @@ abstract class GetOutdatedDependenciesTask : DefaultTask() {
             else -> throw GradleException("Either projectUUID or projectName and projectVersion must be set")
         }
 
+        if (project.directDependencies == null) {
+            throw GradleException("Project does not have direct dependencies")
+        }
+
         val directDependencies = Json {
             ignoreUnknownKeys = true
         }.decodeFromString<List<DirectDependency>>(project.directDependencies)