diff --git a/handlers/github.go b/handlers/github.go
index 9b33594d1..1c4fb5767 100644
--- a/handlers/github.go
+++ b/handlers/github.go
@@ -66,14 +66,21 @@ func GetOpenGithubIssues(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 }
 
 func githubClient() *github.Client {
-	gh_token := os.Getenv("GITHUB_TOKEN")
+	return githubClientWithToken(os.Getenv("GITHUB_TOKEN"))
+}
+
+func githubClientWithToken(gh_token string) *github.Client {
+	gh_token = strings.TrimSpace(gh_token)
+	if gh_token == "" {
+		return github.NewClient(nil)
+	}
+
 	ctx := context.Background()
 	ts := oauth2.StaticTokenSource(
 		&oauth2.Token{AccessToken: gh_token},
 	)
 	tc := oauth2.NewClient(ctx, ts)
-	gc := github.NewClient(tc)
-	return gc
+	return github.NewClient(tc)
 }
 
 func GetRepoIssues(owner string, repo string) ([]db.GithubIssue, error) {
@@ -82,15 +89,7 @@ func GetRepoIssues(owner string, repo string) ([]db.GithubIssue, error) {
 	ret := []db.GithubIssue{}
 	if err == nil {
 		for _, iss := range issues {
-			assignee := ""
-			if iss.Assignee != nil {
-				assignee = *iss.Assignee.Login
-			}
-			ret = append(ret, db.GithubIssue{
-				Title:    *iss.Title,
-				Status:   *iss.State,
-				Assignee: assignee,
-			})
+			ret = append(ret, githubIssueToDBIssue(iss))
 		}
 	}
 	return ret, err
@@ -101,20 +100,36 @@ func GetIssue(owner string, repo string, id int) (db.GithubIssue, error) {
 	iss, _, err := client.Issues.Get(context.Background(), owner, repo, id)
 	issue := db.GithubIssue{}
 	if err == nil && iss != nil {
-		assignee := ""
-		if iss.Assignee != nil {
-			assignee = *iss.Assignee.Login
-		}
-		issue = db.GithubIssue{
-			Title:       *iss.Title,
-			Status:      *iss.State,
-			Assignee:    assignee,
-			Description: *iss.Body,
-		}
+		issue = githubIssueToDBIssue(iss)
 	}
 	return issue, err
 }
 
+func githubIssueToDBIssue(issue *github.Issue) db.GithubIssue {
+	if issue == nil {
+		return db.GithubIssue{}
+	}
+
+	assignee := ""
+	if issue.Assignee != nil {
+		assignee = githubString(issue.Assignee.Login)
+	}
+
+	return db.GithubIssue{
+		Title:       githubString(issue.Title),
+		Status:      githubString(issue.State),
+		Assignee:    assignee,
+		Description: githubString(issue.Body),
+	}
+}
+
+func githubString(value *string) string {
+	if value == nil {
+		return ""
+	}
+	return *value
+}
+
 func PubkeyForGithubUser(owner string) (string, error) {
 	client := githubClient()
 	gs, _, err := client.Gists.List(context.Background(), owner, nil)
diff --git a/handlers/github_test.go b/handlers/github_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1d4d41921
--- /dev/null
+++ b/handlers/github_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+package handlers
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"net/http"
+	"net/http/httptest"
+	"net/url"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/google/go-github/v39/github"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+)
+
+func TestGithubClientWithTokenDoesNotSendEmptyAuthorization(t *testing.T) {
+	server := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		if got := r.Header.Get("Authorization"); got != "" {
+			t.Fatalf("expected no Authorization header for empty token, got %q", got)
+		}
+
+		w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
+		_, _ = w.Write([]byte(`{"title":"Public issue","state":"open","body":"body"}`))
+	}))
+	defer server.Close()
+
+	client := githubClientWithToken("")
+	baseURL, err := url.Parse(server.URL + "/")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to parse test server url: %v", err)
+	}
+	client.BaseURL = baseURL
+
+	if _, _, err := client.Issues.Get(context.Background(), "owner", "repo", 1); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expected public issue request without a token to succeed: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestGithubClientWithTokenSendsAuthorizationWhenConfigured(t *testing.T) {
+	const token = "test-token"
+
+	server := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		if got := r.Header.Get("Authorization"); got != "Bearer "+token {
+			t.Fatalf("expected bearer Authorization header, got %q", got)
+		}
+
+		w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
+		_, _ = w.Write([]byte(`{"title":"Private issue","state":"open","body":"body"}`))
+	}))
+	defer server.Close()
+
+	client := githubClientWithToken(token)
+	baseURL, err := url.Parse(server.URL + "/")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to parse test server url: %v", err)
+	}
+	client.BaseURL = baseURL
+
+	if _, _, err := client.Issues.Get(context.Background(), "owner", "repo", 1); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expected issue request with a token to succeed: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestGithubIssueToDBIssueHandlesNilFields(t *testing.T) {
+	issue := &github.Issue{
+		Title: github.String("Stakwork LN-auth"),
+		State: github.String("open"),
+	}
+
+	got := githubIssueToDBIssue(issue)
+
+	assert.Equal(t, "Stakwork LN-auth", got.Title)
+	assert.Equal(t, "open", got.Status)
+	assert.Equal(t, "", got.Assignee)
+	assert.Equal(t, "", got.Description)
+}
+
+func TestGithubIssueToDBIssueIncludesAssigneeAndBody(t *testing.T) {
+	issue := &github.Issue{
+		Title:    github.String("Add LN-AUTH to Stakwork"),
+		State:    github.String("closed"),
+		Body:     github.String("Issue body"),
+		Assignee: &github.User{Login: github.String("octocat")},
+	}
+
+	got := githubIssueToDBIssue(issue)
+
+	assert.Equal(t, "Add LN-AUTH to Stakwork", got.Title)
+	assert.Equal(t, "closed", got.Status)
+	assert.Equal(t, "octocat", got.Assignee)
+	assert.Equal(t, "Issue body", got.Description)
+}