diff --git a/org-clubhouse.el b/org-clubhouse.el
index 3174da8bb..fdfe2d16f 100644
--- a/org-clubhouse.el
+++ b/org-clubhouse.el
@@ -501,7 +501,7 @@ If set to nil, will never create stories with labels")
           (-map (lambda (cell) (cons (cdr cell) (car cell)))
                 org-clubhouse-state-alist)))
     (or (alist-get-equal state-name inv-state-name-alist)
-        (s-upcase state-name))))
+        (if state-name (s-upcase state-name) "UNKNOWN"))))
 
 ;;;
 ;;; Prompting