diff --git a/ee/app/models/vulnerabilities/export.rb b/ee/app/models/vulnerabilities/export.rb
index 4dffcdba7d9403cfc00b5fc2d8fd3c75bb2a6697..f4e6884573e8419230699b46f3af81213130db39 100644
--- a/ee/app/models/vulnerabilities/export.rb
+++ b/ee/app/models/vulnerabilities/export.rb
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ def make_group_level_export(group)
 
     def make_instance_level_export
       self.project = self.group = nil
-      self.organization_id = set_organization(author.namespace)
+      self.organization_id = set_organization(author&.namespace)
     end
 
     def set_organization(namespace)