diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index b21f05041..cbdfca663 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@
 
 # Change Log
 
+## 2025-03-20 - Runtime 0.17.6
+
+- fix: correct json in introspection query results [#798](https://github.com/hypermodeinc/modus/pull/798)
+
 ## 2025-03-19 - Runtime 0.17.5
 
 - fix: embed runtime version with correct path [#796](https://github.com/hypermodeinc/modus/pull/796)
diff --git a/runtime/graphql/graphql.go b/runtime/graphql/graphql.go
index 4f0a89f73..9241ccb78 100644
--- a/runtime/graphql/graphql.go
+++ b/runtime/graphql/graphql.go
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ func handleGraphQLRequest(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		// to replace the null with an empty array.
 		if ok, _ := gqlRequest.IsIntrospectionQuery(); ok {
 			if q := gjson.GetBytes(response, `data.__schema.types.#(name="Query")`); q.Exists() {
-				if f := q.Get("fields"); f.Type == gjson.Null {
+				if f := q.Get("fields"); f.Exists() && f.Type == gjson.Null {
 					response[f.Index] = '['
 					response[f.Index+1] = ']'
 					response = append(response[:f.Index+2], response[f.Index+4:]...)