diff --git a/src/lifter.js b/src/lifter.js
index 8b16857..a7dbf97 100644
--- a/src/lifter.js
+++ b/src/lifter.js
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ export default async function ({projectRoot, results: {projectDetails: {homepage
     config: {
       repository: {
         homepage,
-        topics: tags.join(', ')
+        ...tags && {topics: tags.join(', ')}
       }
     }
   });
diff --git a/src/lifter.test.js b/src/lifter.test.js
index a7965c8..b0ff7b7 100644
--- a/src/lifter.test.js
+++ b/src/lifter.test.js
@@ -10,10 +10,9 @@ vi.mock('@form8ion/core');
 describe('lifter', () => {
   const projectRoot = any.simpleObject();
   const tags = any.listOf(any.word);
+  const homepage = any.url();
 
   it('should set properties in the settings file', async () => {
-    const homepage = any.url();
-
     const result = await lift({
       projectRoot,
       results: {
@@ -55,4 +54,24 @@ describe('lifter', () => {
       }
     });
   });
+
+  it('should not result in an error when tags are not provided in the results', async () => {
+    await lift({
+      projectRoot,
+      results: {
+        projectDetails: {homepage}
+      }
+    });
+
+    expect(mergeIntoExistingConfigFile).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+      format: fileTypes.YAML,
+      path: `${projectRoot}/.github`,
+      name: 'settings',
+      config: {
+        repository: {
+          homepage
+        }
+      }
+    });
+  });
 });
diff --git a/test/integration/features/lift.feature b/test/integration/features/lift.feature
index 0e4c5d7..425e08b 100644
--- a/test/integration/features/lift.feature
+++ b/test/integration/features/lift.feature
@@ -3,12 +3,21 @@ Feature: Lift
   Scenario: Lift
     Given the GitHub repository settings are managed by the repository-settings app
     And the scaffolder results include projectDetails
+    And the scaffolder results include tags
     When scaffolder results are processed
     Then properties are updated in the settings file
 
   Scenario: Lift w/o project details
     Given the GitHub repository settings are managed by the repository-settings app
-    And the scaffolder results do not include projectDetails
+    And the scaffolder results include tags
+    But the scaffolder results do not include projectDetails
+    When scaffolder results are processed
+    Then properties are updated in the settings file
+
+  Scenario: Lift w/o tags
+    Given the GitHub repository settings are managed by the repository-settings app
+    And the scaffolder results include projectDetails
+    But the scaffolder results do not include tags
     When scaffolder results are processed
     Then properties are updated in the settings file
 
diff --git a/test/integration/features/step_definitions/common-steps.js b/test/integration/features/step_definitions/common-steps.js
index 9e2420c..c70f5de 100644
--- a/test/integration/features/step_definitions/common-steps.js
+++ b/test/integration/features/step_definitions/common-steps.js
@@ -41,8 +41,6 @@ When('the project is scaffolded', async function () {
 });
 
 When('scaffolder results are processed', async function () {
-  this.tags = any.listOf(any.word);
-
   if (await test({projectRoot: this.projectRoot})) {
     await lift({
       projectRoot: this.projectRoot,
diff --git a/test/integration/features/step_definitions/results-steps.js b/test/integration/features/step_definitions/results-steps.js
index 8cf12dc..2be5999 100644
--- a/test/integration/features/step_definitions/results-steps.js
+++ b/test/integration/features/step_definitions/results-steps.js
@@ -9,3 +9,11 @@ Given('the scaffolder results include projectDetails', async function () {
   this.homepage = any.url();
   this.projectDetails = {homepage: this.homepage};
 });
+
+Given('the scaffolder results include tags', async function () {
+  this.tags = any.listOf(any.word);
+});
+
+Given('the scaffolder results do not include tags', async function () {
+  return undefined;
+});
diff --git a/test/integration/features/step_definitions/settings-steps.js b/test/integration/features/step_definitions/settings-steps.js
index ba8a7a3..af39618 100644
--- a/test/integration/features/step_definitions/settings-steps.js
+++ b/test/integration/features/step_definitions/settings-steps.js
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ Then('properties are updated in the settings file', async function () {
       repository: {
         ...this.existingSettingsContent.repository,
         ...this.homepage && {homepage: this.homepage},
-        topics: this.tags.join(', ')
+        ...this.tags && {topics: this.tags.join(', ')}
       }
     }
   );