diff --git a/internal/indexer/service.go b/internal/indexer/service.go
index 300c192..a9179a5 100644
--- a/internal/indexer/service.go
+++ b/internal/indexer/service.go
@@ -424,8 +424,6 @@ func (s *service) LoadCustomIndexerDefinitions() error {
 
 		s.log.Trace().Msgf("parsing custom: %v", file)
 
-		var d *domain.IndexerDefinition
-
 		//data, err := fs.ReadFile(Definitions, filePath)
 		data, err := os.ReadFile(file)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -433,12 +431,17 @@ func (s *service) LoadCustomIndexerDefinitions() error {
 			return err
 		}
 
-		err = yaml.Unmarshal(data, &d)
-		if err != nil {
+		var d *domain.IndexerDefinition
+		if err = yaml.Unmarshal(data, &d); err != nil {
 			s.log.Error().Stack().Err(err).Msgf("failed unmarshal file: %v", file)
 			return err
 		}
 
+		if d == nil {
+			s.log.Warn().Stack().Err(err).Msgf("skipping empty file: %v", file)
+			continue
+		}
+
 		if d.Implementation == "" {
 			d.Implementation = "irc"
 		}