diff --git a/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/routes/tasks_controller.py b/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/routes/tasks_controller.py
index e773b661b..4b2fbf420 100644
--- a/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/routes/tasks_controller.py
+++ b/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/routes/tasks_controller.py
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ from spiffworkflow_backend.models.human_task_user import HumanTaskUserModel
 from spiffworkflow_backend.models.process_instance import ProcessInstanceModel
 from spiffworkflow_backend.models.process_instance import ProcessInstanceStatus
 from spiffworkflow_backend.models.process_model import ProcessModelInfo
+from spiffworkflow_backend.models.task import Task
 from spiffworkflow_backend.models.user import UserModel
 from spiffworkflow_backend.routes.process_api_blueprint import (
     _find_principal_or_raise,
@@ -574,9 +575,12 @@ def _get_spiff_task_from_process_instance(
 
 # originally from: https://bitcoden.com/answers/python-nested-dictionary-update-value-where-any-nested-key-matches
 def _update_form_schema_with_task_data_as_needed(
-    in_dict: dict, task: SpiffTask
+    in_dict: dict, task: Task
 ) -> None:
     """Update_nested."""
+    if task.data is None:
+        return None
+
     for k, value in in_dict.items():
         if "anyOf" == k:
             # value will look like the array on the right of "anyOf": ["options_from_task_data_var:awesome_options"]
diff --git a/spiffworkflow-backend/tests/spiffworkflow_backend/integration/test_process_api.py b/spiffworkflow-backend/tests/spiffworkflow_backend/integration/test_process_api.py
index 302ba9d5d..f52cbc43f 100644
--- a/spiffworkflow-backend/tests/spiffworkflow_backend/integration/test_process_api.py
+++ b/spiffworkflow-backend/tests/spiffworkflow_backend/integration/test_process_api.py
@@ -1680,6 +1680,7 @@ class TestProcessApi(BaseTest):
             f"/v1.0/tasks/{process_instance_id}/{human_task.task_id}",
             headers=self.logged_in_headers(with_super_admin_user),
         )
+        assert response.status_code == 200
         assert response.json is not None
         assert (
             response.json["form_schema"]["definitions"]["Color"]["anyOf"][1]["title"]