diff --git a/src/modules/uxrce_dds_client/dds_topics.yaml b/src/modules/uxrce_dds_client/dds_topics.yaml
index 922fddffff..4943be7e61 100644
--- a/src/modules/uxrce_dds_client/dds_topics.yaml
+++ b/src/modules/uxrce_dds_client/dds_topics.yaml
@@ -138,4 +138,3 @@ subscriptions:
 
 # Create uORB::PublicationMulti
 subscriptions_multi:
-
diff --git a/src/modules/uxrce_dds_client/generate_dds_topics.py b/src/modules/uxrce_dds_client/generate_dds_topics.py
index 9bdd3a2e5a..4052958df8 100644
--- a/src/modules/uxrce_dds_client/generate_dds_topics.py
+++ b/src/modules/uxrce_dds_client/generate_dds_topics.py
@@ -99,21 +99,26 @@ def process_message_type(msg_type):
     # topic_simple: eg vehicle_status
     msg_type['topic_simple'] = msg_type['topic'].split('/')[-1]
 
+pubs_not_empty = msg_map['publications'] is not None
+if pubs_not_empty:
+    for p in msg_map['publications']:
+        process_message_type(p)
 
-for p in msg_map['publications']:
-    process_message_type(p)
+merged_em_globals['publications'] = msg_map['publications'] if pubs_not_empty else []
 
-merged_em_globals['publications'] = msg_map['publications']
+subs_not_empty = msg_map['subscriptions'] is not None
+if subs_not_empty:
+    for s in msg_map['subscriptions']:
+        process_message_type(s)
 
-for s in msg_map['subscriptions']:
-    process_message_type(s)
+merged_em_globals['subscriptions'] = msg_map['subscriptions'] if subs_not_empty else []
 
-merged_em_globals['subscriptions'] = msg_map['subscriptions']
+subs_multi_not_empty = msg_map['subscriptions_multi'] is not None
+if subs_multi_not_empty:
+    for sm in msg_map['subscriptions_multi']:
+        process_message_type(sm)
 
-for sm in msg_map['subscriptions_multi']:
-    process_message_type(sm)
-
-merged_em_globals['subscriptions_multi'] = msg_map['subscriptions_multi']
+merged_em_globals['subscriptions_multi'] = msg_map['subscriptions_multi'] if subs_multi_not_empty else []
 
 merged_em_globals['type_includes'] = sorted(set(all_type_includes))