diff --git a/gittensor/cli/issue_commands/helpers.py b/gittensor/cli/issue_commands/helpers.py
index 84eb1eda..fdf4830d 100644
--- a/gittensor/cli/issue_commands/helpers.py
+++ b/gittensor/cli/issue_commands/helpers.py
@@ -254,8 +254,12 @@ def fetch_open_issue_pull_requests(
     repository_full_name: str,
     issue_number: int,
     as_json: bool,
-) -> list:
-    """Fetch open PR submissions for a GitHub issue."""
+) -> list | None:
+    """Fetch open PR submissions for a GitHub issue.
+
+    Returns:
+        PR list on success (possibly empty), or ``None`` when GraphQL lookup failed.
+    """
     token = os.environ.get('GITTENSOR_MINER_PAT') or ''
     if not token and not as_json:
         print_warning('No GitHub token found; set GITTENSOR_MINER_PAT to fetch GitHub issue submissions')
@@ -270,7 +274,8 @@ def fetch_open_issue_pull_requests(
                 token=token or None,
                 open_only=True,
             )
-            # Intentionally return GitHub tool output as-is (no CLI schema mapping yet).
+            if prs is None:
+                return None
             return prs
     except Exception as e:
         raise click.ClickException(f'Failed to fetch PR submissions from GitHub: {e}')
diff --git a/gittensor/cli/issue_commands/submissions.py b/gittensor/cli/issue_commands/submissions.py
index 560c9291..e31d1504 100644
--- a/gittensor/cli/issue_commands/submissions.py
+++ b/gittensor/cli/issue_commands/submissions.py
@@ -81,6 +81,13 @@ def issues_submissions(
     except click.ClickException as e:
         handle_exception(as_json, str(e), click_error_type(e))
 
+    if pull_requests is None:
+        handle_exception(
+            as_json,
+            f'Failed to fetch PR submissions from GitHub for {repo_name}#{issue_number} (GraphQL lookup failed).',
+            'read_failed',
+        )
+
     if as_json:
         submissions = [
             {
diff --git a/gittensor/utils/github_api_tools.py b/gittensor/utils/github_api_tools.py
index 803969d1..551f0870 100644
--- a/gittensor/utils/github_api_tools.py
+++ b/gittensor/utils/github_api_tools.py
@@ -329,14 +329,21 @@ def find_prs_for_issue(
     issue_number: int,
     open_only: bool = True,
     token: Optional[str] = None,
-) -> List[PRInfo]:
-    """Find PRs that reference an issue via GraphQL cross-reference data."""
+) -> Optional[List[PRInfo]]:
+    """Find PRs that reference an issue via GraphQL cross-reference data.
+
+    Returns:
+        List of PR info dicts when lookup succeeds (possibly empty).
+        ``None`` when GraphQL lookup fails and callers should not treat the
+        result as "zero submissions".
+        Empty list when no token is available (lookup was not attempted).
+    """
     if token:
         try:
-            prs = _search_issue_referencing_prs_graphql(repo, issue_number, token, open_only=open_only)
-            return prs or []
+            return _search_issue_referencing_prs_graphql(repo, issue_number, token, open_only=open_only)
         except Exception as exc:
             bt.logging.debug(f'GraphQL PR fetch failed for {repo}#{issue_number}: {exc}')
+            return None
 
     return []
 
diff --git a/tests/cli/test_issue_submission.py b/tests/cli/test_issue_submission.py
index 7f6b099a..f9dcf952 100644
--- a/tests/cli/test_issue_submission.py
+++ b/tests/cli/test_issue_submission.py
@@ -138,6 +138,27 @@ def test_submissions_json_contract_read_failure_returns_structured_error(cli_roo
     assert 'not found on-chain' not in payload['error']['message']
 
 
+def test_submissions_json_github_lookup_failure_returns_read_failed(cli_root, runner, sample_issue):
+    with (
+        patch('gittensor.cli.issue_commands.submissions.get_contract_address', return_value='0xabc'),
+        patch('gittensor.cli.issue_commands.submissions.resolve_network', return_value=('ws://x', 'test')),
+        patch('gittensor.cli.issue_commands.submissions.fetch_issue_from_contract', return_value=sample_issue),
+        patch('gittensor.cli.issue_commands.submissions.fetch_open_issue_pull_requests', return_value=None),
+    ):
+        result = runner.invoke(
+            cli_root,
+            ['issues', 'submissions', '--id', '42', '--json'],
+            catch_exceptions=False,
+        )
+
+    assert result.exit_code != 0
+    payload = json.loads(result.stdout)
+    assert payload['success'] is False
+    assert payload['error']['type'] == 'read_failed'
+    assert 'GraphQL lookup failed' in payload['error']['message']
+    assert 'submission_count' not in payload
+
+
 def test_submissions_help_via_issue_alias_routes_to_command_help(cli_root, runner):
     result = runner.invoke(
         cli_root,
diff --git a/tests/utils/test_github_api_tools.py b/tests/utils/test_github_api_tools.py
index 5ed4c3ad..a0e290ad 100644
--- a/tests/utils/test_github_api_tools.py
+++ b/tests/utils/test_github_api_tools.py
@@ -172,12 +172,22 @@ def test_find_prs_returns_empty_when_graphql_empty(mock_graphql):
 
 
 @patch('gittensor.utils.github_api_tools._search_issue_referencing_prs_graphql')
-def test_find_prs_returns_empty_when_graphql_errors(mock_graphql):
+def test_find_prs_returns_none_when_graphql_errors(mock_graphql):
     mock_graphql.side_effect = RuntimeError('boom')
 
     result = find_prs_for_issue('owner/repo', 12, open_only=True, token='fake_token')
 
-    assert result == []
+    assert result is None
+    mock_graphql.assert_called_once_with('owner/repo', 12, 'fake_token', open_only=True)
+
+
+@patch('gittensor.utils.github_api_tools._search_issue_referencing_prs_graphql')
+def test_find_prs_returns_none_when_graphql_lookup_fails(mock_graphql):
+    mock_graphql.return_value = None
+
+    result = find_prs_for_issue('owner/repo', 12, open_only=True, token='fake_token')
+
+    assert result is None
     mock_graphql.assert_called_once_with('owner/repo', 12, 'fake_token', open_only=True)