diff --git a/cogs/links.py b/cogs/links.py
index 0db4e69..28e1307 100644
--- a/cogs/links.py
+++ b/cogs/links.py
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ class Links:
             # This sets the url as url?q=search+terms
             url = 'https://derpibooru.org/search.json?q={}'.format('+'.join(search))
             nsfw_channels = await config.get_content("nsfw_channels")
-            nsfw_channels = nsfw_channels.get('registered')
+            nsfw_channels = nsfw_channels.get('registered') or []
             # If this is a nsfw channel, we just need to tack on 'explicit' to the terms
             # Also use the custom filter that I have setup, that blocks some certain tags
             # If the channel is not nsfw, we don't need to do anything, as the default filter blocks explicit
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ class Links:
         await self.bot.say("Looking up an image with those tags....")
 
         nsfw_channels = await config.get_content("nsfw_channels")
-        nsfw_channels = nsfw_channels.get('registered')
+        nsfw_channels = nsfw_channels.get('registered') or []
         # e621 by default does not filter explicit content, so tack on
         # safe/explicit based on if this channel is nsfw or not
         if ctx.message.channel.id in nsfw_channels:
diff --git a/cogs/mod.py b/cogs/mod.py
index aa77703..6385c7a 100644
--- a/cogs/mod.py
+++ b/cogs/mod.py
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ class Mod:
         """Registers this channel as a 'nsfw' channel"""
         nsfw_channels = await config.get_content('nsfw_channels')
         # rethinkdb cannot save a list as a field, so we need a dict with one elemtn to store our list
-        nsfw_channels = nsfw_channels.get('registered')
+        nsfw_channels = nsfw_channels.get('registered') or []
         if ctx.message.channel.id in nsfw_channels:
             await self.bot.say("This channel is already registered as 'nsfw'!")
         else:
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ class Mod:
     async def nsfw_remove(self, ctx):
         """Removes this channel as a 'nsfw' channel"""
         nsfw_channels = await config.get_content('nsfw_channels')
-        nsfw_channels = nsfw_channels.get('registered')
+        nsfw_channels = nsfw_channels.get('registered') or []
         if ctx.message.channel.id not in nsfw_channels:
             await self.bot.say("This channel is not registered as a ''nsfw' channel!")
         else:
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ class Mod:
         """This command can be used to view the current rules on the server"""
         rules = await config.get_content('rules')
         # Same issue as the nsfw channels
-        rules = rules.get('rules')
+        rules = rules.get('rules') or {}
         server_rules = rules.get(ctx.message.server.id)
         if server_rules is None or len(server_rules) == 0:
             await self.bot.say("This server currently has no rules on it! I see you like to live dangerously...")
@@ -318,7 +318,7 @@ class Mod:
         """Adds a rule to this server's rules"""
         # Nothing fancy here, just get the rules, append the rule, and save it
         rules = await config.get_content('rules')
-        rules = rules.get('rules')
+        rules = rules.get('rules') or {}
         server_rules = rules.get(ctx.message.server.id)
         server_rules.append(rule)
         rules[ctx.message.server.id] = server_rules
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@ class Mod:
         Provide a number to delete that rule; if no number is provided
         I'll print your current rules and ask for a number"""
         rules = await config.get_content('rules')
-        rules = rules.get('rules')
+        rules = rules.get('rules') or {}
         server_rules = rules.get(ctx.message.server.id)
         if server_rules is None or len(server_rules) == 0:
             await self.bot.say(