diff --git a/packages/backend/src/serializers/role.js b/packages/backend/src/serializers/role.js
index 9cbf0246..8e9051fa 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/serializers/role.js
+++ b/packages/backend/src/serializers/role.js
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ const roleSerializer = (role) => {
     isAdmin: role.isAdmin,
   };
 
-  if (role.permissions) {
+  if (role.permissions?.length > 0) {
     roleData.permissions = role.permissions.map((permission) =>
       permissionSerializer(permission)
     );
diff --git a/packages/backend/src/serializers/user.js b/packages/backend/src/serializers/user.js
index 4fed507f..2cdec6d5 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/serializers/user.js
+++ b/packages/backend/src/serializers/user.js
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ const userSerializer = (user) => {
     userData.role = roleSerializer(user.role);
   }
 
-  if (user.permissions) {
+  if (user.permissions?.length > 0) {
     userData.permissions = user.permissions.map((permission) =>
       permissionSerializer(permission)
     );