diff --git a/app/views/projects/branches.json.jbuilder b/app/views/projects/branches.json.jbuilder
index 97ec057d2..7b04f4ced 100644
--- a/app/views/projects/branches.json.jbuilder
+++ b/app/views/projects/branches.json.jbuilder
@@ -9,9 +9,14 @@ json.array! @branches do |branch|
     json.timestamp render_unix_time(branch['commit']['timestamp'])
     json.time_from_now time_from_now(branch['commit']['timestamp'])
   end
+
+  user = User.find_by_login branch['commit']['author']['name']
   json.author do
-    user = User.find_by_login branch['commit']['author']['name']
-    json.login user.login
-    json.image_url url_to_avatar(user)
+    if user
+      json.login user.login
+      json.image_url url_to_avatar(user)
+    else
+      json.nil
+    end
   end
 end