diff --git a/src/main.py b/src/main.py
index 5c9c51b..047d5f0 100644
--- a/src/main.py
+++ b/src/main.py
@@ -75,6 +75,8 @@ async def context() -> JSONResponse:
             asyncio.gather(current_user(), repos(), issues(), pull_requests()),
             timeout=CONTEXT_TIMEOUT_SECONDS,
         )
+        if not isinstance(user_data, dict):
+            raise ValueError("Gitea current-user response was not an object")
     except Exception as e:
         error_message = (
             f"Gitea context request timed out after {CONTEXT_TIMEOUT_SECONDS:g}s"
diff --git a/tests/test_context_timeout.py b/tests/test_context_timeout.py
index eed6c71..ea7bff2 100644
--- a/tests/test_context_timeout.py
+++ b/tests/test_context_timeout.py
@@ -167,3 +167,24 @@ async def test_context_normalizes_nullable_user_profile_fields(monkeypatch):
     assert response.status_code == 200
     assert context["user"]["full_name"] == ""
     assert context["user"]["email"] == ""
+
+
+@pytest.mark.anyio
+async def test_context_returns_fallback_for_null_current_user_payload(monkeypatch):
+    async def null_user():
+        return None
+
+    async def empty_collection():
+        return []
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(main, "current_user", null_user)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(main, "repos", empty_collection)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(main, "issues", empty_collection)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(main, "pull_requests", empty_collection)
+
+    response = await main.context()
+    context = json.loads(response.body)
+
+    assert response.status_code == 200
+    assert context["repos"] == []
+    assert context["error"] == "Gitea current-user response was not an object"