diff --git a/src/ripple/app/misc/impl/ValidatorList.cpp b/src/ripple/app/misc/impl/ValidatorList.cpp
index 9a7e87aeaa5..784f2a8ebc2 100644
--- a/src/ripple/app/misc/impl/ValidatorList.cpp
+++ b/src/ripple/app/misc/impl/ValidatorList.cpp
@@ -1585,7 +1585,7 @@ ValidatorList::getJson(std::optional<RPC::JsonContext> context) const
         auto appendList = [&context](
                               PublisherList const& publisherList,
                               Json::Value& target) {
-            if (context.has_value() && context->apiVersion == 1)
+            if ((context && context->apiVersion == 1) || !context)
                 target[jss::uri] = publisherList.sourceUri.empty()
                     ? publisherList.sourcePeer
                     : publisherList.sourceUri;