diff --git a/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/di/AppModule.kt b/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/di/AppModule.kt
index 63f98f5db..1c8a18aed 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/di/AppModule.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/di/AppModule.kt
@@ -128,6 +128,8 @@ class AppModule(val app: Application) : InjektModule {
             Json {
                 ignoreUnknownKeys = true
                 explicitNulls = false
+                // Gitea/Forgejo often uses JSON null for empty release body or assets array.
+                coerceInputValues = true
             }
         }
         addSingletonFactory {
diff --git a/data/src/main/java/tachiyomi/data/release/GithubRelease.kt b/data/src/main/java/tachiyomi/data/release/GithubRelease.kt
index c5ee9f708..44aa026cf 100644
--- a/data/src/main/java/tachiyomi/data/release/GithubRelease.kt
+++ b/data/src/main/java/tachiyomi/data/release/GithubRelease.kt
@@ -5,17 +5,19 @@ import kotlinx.serialization.Serializable
 
 /**
  * Contains information about the latest release from GitHub.
+ * Forgejo/Gitea may send JSON `null` for empty [info] or [assets]; defaults + `Json.coerceInputValues`
+ * keep deserialization from failing.
  */
 @Serializable
 data class GithubRelease(
     @SerialName("tag_name")
     val version: String,
     @SerialName("body")
-    val info: String,
+    val info: String = "",
     @SerialName("html_url")
     val releaseLink: String,
     @SerialName("assets")
-    val assets: List<GitHubAsset>,
+    val assets: List<GitHubAsset> = emptyList(),
     // KMK -->
     @SerialName("prerelease")
     val preRelease: Boolean = false,
@@ -29,7 +31,7 @@ data class GithubRelease(
  */
 @Serializable
 data class GitHubAsset(
-    val name: String,
+    val name: String = "",
     @SerialName("browser_download_url")
-    val downloadLink: String,
+    val downloadLink: String = "",
 )
diff --git a/data/src/main/java/tachiyomi/data/release/ReleaseServiceImpl.kt b/data/src/main/java/tachiyomi/data/release/ReleaseServiceImpl.kt
index e170f007a..ce34356d0 100644
--- a/data/src/main/java/tachiyomi/data/release/ReleaseServiceImpl.kt
+++ b/data/src/main/java/tachiyomi/data/release/ReleaseServiceImpl.kt
@@ -74,9 +74,11 @@ class ReleaseServiceImpl(
     // KMK <--
 
     private fun getDownloadLink(release: GithubRelease, isFoss: Boolean): String? {
-        val map = release.assets.associate { asset ->
-            BUILD_TYPES.find { "-$it" in asset.name } to asset.downloadLink
-        }
+        val map = release.assets
+            .filter { it.name.isNotBlank() && it.downloadLink.isNotBlank() }
+            .associate { asset ->
+                BUILD_TYPES.find { "-$it" in asset.name } to asset.downloadLink
+            }
 
         return if (!isFoss) {
             map[Build.SUPPORTED_ABIS[0]] ?: map[null]