diff --git a/lib/chicanery/state_comparison.rb b/lib/chicanery/state_comparison.rb
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/lib/chicanery/state_comparison.rb
+++ b/lib/chicanery/state_comparison.rb
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ module Chicanery
     end
 
     def compare_repo_state name, current, previous
+      return unless previous
       current.each do |branch, state|
         next unless previous[branch]
         notify_commit_handlers "#{name}/#{branch}", state, previous[branch] if state != previous[branch]
added check for any previous repo state