diff --git a/pkg/api/componentreadiness/component_report.go b/pkg/api/componentreadiness/component_report.go
index 6c09bacd6..b0340e36b 100644
--- a/pkg/api/componentreadiness/component_report.go
+++ b/pkg/api/componentreadiness/component_report.go
@@ -613,7 +613,7 @@ func (c *ComponentReportGenerator) generateComponentTestReport(basisStatusMap, s
 	keySet := sets.NewString(slices.Collect(maps.Keys(basisStatusMap))...)
 	keySet.Insert(slices.Collect(maps.Keys(sampleStatusMap))...)
 	for testKeyStr := range keySet {
-		var cellReport testdetails.TestComparison // The actual stats we return over the API
+		cellReport := testdetails.TestComparison{Explanations: []string{}} // The actual stats we return over the API
 		sampleStatus, sampleThere := sampleStatusMap[testKeyStr]
 		basisStatus, basisThere := basisStatusMap[testKeyStr]
 
diff --git a/pkg/api/componentreadiness/test_details.go b/pkg/api/componentreadiness/test_details.go
index 26c900c53..16eded289 100644
--- a/pkg/api/componentreadiness/test_details.go
+++ b/pkg/api/componentreadiness/test_details.go
@@ -442,6 +442,7 @@ func (c *ComponentReportGenerator) internalGenerateTestDetailsReport(
 	totalBase, totalSample, report, result, lastFailure := c.summarizeRecordedTestStats(baseStatus, sampleStatus, testKey)
 
 	testStats := testdetails.TestComparison{
+		Explanations:       []string{},
 		RequiredConfidence: c.ReqOptions.AdvancedOption.Confidence,
 		SampleStats: testdetails.ReleaseStats{
 			Release: c.ReqOptions.SampleRelease.Name,
diff --git a/sippy-ng/src/component_readiness/CompSeverityIcon.js b/sippy-ng/src/component_readiness/CompSeverityIcon.js
index d6193d321..22ca929a6 100644
--- a/sippy-ng/src/component_readiness/CompSeverityIcon.js
+++ b/sippy-ng/src/component_readiness/CompSeverityIcon.js
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ export default function CompSeverityIcon(props) {
   )
 
   let toolTip = statusStr
-  if (explanations !== undefined && explanations.length > 0) {
+  if (explanations != null && explanations.length > 0) {
     toolTip = explanations.join(' ')
   }