diff --git a/app/services/exports/export_distributions_csv_service.rb b/app/services/exports/export_distributions_csv_service.rb
index 376f5ee64c..0a824bfadd 100644
--- a/app/services/exports/export_distributions_csv_service.rb
+++ b/app/services/exports/export_distributions_csv_service.rb
@@ -10,10 +10,14 @@ def initialize(distributions:, filters: [])
       # service object.
       @distributions = distributions
       @filters = filters
-      @organization = @distributions.first.organization
+      @organization = @distributions.present? ? @distributions.first.organization : nil
     end
 
     def generate_csv
+      # TODO: we may want some error handling here in case there are none, but I'm not sure what the process is;
+      # should we do a flash[:error]?
+      return unless distributions
+
       csv_data = generate_csv_data
 
       CSV.generate(headers: true) do |csv|
@@ -115,7 +119,7 @@ def base_headers
     def item_headers
       return @item_headers if @item_headers
 
-      @item_headers = @organization.items.uniq.sort_by(&:created_at).pluck(:name)
+      @item_headers = @organization.items.order(:created_at).distinct.select([:created_at, :name]).map(&:name)
     end
 
     def build_row_data(distribution)
diff --git a/spec/requests/partners_requests_spec.rb b/spec/requests/partners_requests_spec.rb
index 8060e6021e..c7472bb914 100644
--- a/spec/requests/partners_requests_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/requests/partners_requests_spec.rb
@@ -141,7 +141,6 @@
 
     context "csv" do
       let(:response_format) { 'csv' }
-      before { create(:distribution, partner: partner) }
 
       it { is_expected.to be_successful }
     end
diff --git a/spec/services/exports/export_distributions_csv_service_spec.rb b/spec/services/exports/export_distributions_csv_service_spec.rb
index 6066168551..16dd8257d2 100644
--- a/spec/services/exports/export_distributions_csv_service_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/services/exports/export_distributions_csv_service_spec.rb
@@ -56,7 +56,6 @@
     let(:all_org_items) { Item.where(organization:).uniq.sort_by(&:created_at) }
 
     let(:total_item_quantities) do
-      # binding.pry
       template = all_org_items.pluck(:name).index_with(0)
 
       items_lists.map do |items_list|