diff --git a/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/config/permissions/example.yml b/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/config/permissions/example.yml
index 77d87ca8d..261625101 100644
--- a/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/config/permissions/example.yml
+++ b/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/config/permissions/example.yml
@@ -30,6 +30,12 @@ groups:
         admin@spiffworkflow.org,
         nelson@spiffworkflow.org
       ]
+  approvers:
+    users:
+      [
+        malala@spiffworkflow.org,
+        oskar@spiffworkflow.org
+      ]
 
 permissions:
   # Admins have access to everything.
diff --git a/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/services/process_instance_processor.py b/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/services/process_instance_processor.py
index 71055d9ab..bed827cb3 100644
--- a/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/services/process_instance_processor.py
+++ b/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/services/process_instance_processor.py
@@ -350,7 +350,9 @@ class CustomBpmnScriptEngine(PythonScriptEngine):  # type: ignore
         external_methods: Optional[Dict[str, Any]] = None,
     ) -> Any:
         """_evaluate."""
-        methods = self.__get_augment_methods(task)
+        methods = {}
+        if task:
+            methods = self.__get_augment_methods(task)
         if external_methods:
             methods.update(external_methods)