diff --git a/src/widgets/BasePublication.php b/src/widgets/BasePublication.php
index ac338b7..cb9efda 100644
--- a/src/widgets/BasePublication.php
+++ b/src/widgets/BasePublication.php
@@ -250,10 +250,22 @@ protected function renderHtmlByPublicationItem($publicationItem)
     {
         if ($this->teaser) {
             $properties = Json::decode($publicationItem->teaser_widget_json);
+
+            // Check if properties is an array
+            if (empty($properties) || !is_array($properties)) {
+                $properties = [];
+            }
+
             // allow usage of content variables in teaser
             $properties['content'] = Json::decode($publicationItem->content_widget_json);
         } else {
             $properties = Json::decode($publicationItem->content_widget_json);
+
+            // Check if properties is an array
+            if (empty($properties) || !is_array($properties)) {
+                $properties = [];
+            }
+
             $properties['teaser'] = Json::decode($publicationItem->teaser_widget_json);
         }
 
@@ -272,4 +284,4 @@ protected function renderHtmlByPublicationItem($publicationItem)
 
         return $publicationWidget;
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}