diff --git a/articles/api.py b/articles/api.py
index 21fe9c4..9ccc659 100644
--- a/articles/api.py
+++ b/articles/api.py
@@ -159,18 +159,20 @@ def create_article(
 
                     # Send notification to the community admin
                     try:
-                        Notification.objects.create(
-                            user=community.admins.first(),
-                            community=community,
-                            category="communities",
-                            notification_type="article_submitted",
-                            message=(
-                                f"New article submitted in {community.name}"
-                                f" by {request.auth.username}"
-                            ),
-                            link=f"/community/{community.name}/submissions",
-                            content=article.title,
-                        )
+                        admin = community.admins.first()
+                        if admin:
+                            Notification.objects.create(
+                                user=admin,
+                                community=community,
+                                category="communities",
+                                notification_type="article_submitted",
+                                message=(
+                                    f"New article submitted in {community.name}"
+                                    f" by {request.auth.username}"
+                                ),
+                                link=f"/community/{community.name}/submissions",
+                                content=article.title,
+                            )
                     except Exception:
                         # Continue even if notification creation fails
                         pass
diff --git a/communities/api_invitation.py b/communities/api_invitation.py
index 2959c17..fea7a7d 100644
--- a/communities/api_invitation.py
+++ b/communities/api_invitation.py
@@ -186,13 +186,15 @@ def respond_to_invitation(
 
         # Optional: Send notification to community admin about the decision
         try:
-            Notification.objects.create(
-                user=invitation.community.admins.first(),
-                message=f"{request.auth.username} has {payload.action}ed the "
-                f"invitation to join {invitation.community.name}.",
-                category="communities",
-                notification_type="join_request_responded",
-            )
+            admin = invitation.community.admins.first()
+            if admin:
+                Notification.objects.create(
+                    user=admin,
+                    message=f"{request.auth.username} has {payload.action}ed the "
+                    f"invitation to join {invitation.community.name}.",
+                    category="communities",
+                    notification_type="join_request_responded",
+                )
         except Exception as e:
             logger.error(f"Error creating notification: {e}")
             # Continue even if notification fails - the invitation was already processed
@@ -417,15 +419,17 @@ def respond_to_email_invitation(
 
         try:
             # Optional: Send notification to community admin about the decision
-            Notification.objects.create(
-                user=invitation.community.admins.first(),
-                message=(
-                    f"{user.username} has {payload.action}ed the "
-                    f"invitation to join {invitation.community.name}."
-                ),
-                category="communities",
-                notification_type="join_request_responded",
-            )
+            admin = invitation.community.admins.first()
+            if admin:
+                Notification.objects.create(
+                    user=admin,
+                    message=(
+                        f"{user.username} has {payload.action}ed the "
+                        f"invitation to join {invitation.community.name}."
+                    ),
+                    category="communities",
+                    notification_type="join_request_responded",
+                )
         except Exception as e:
             logger.error(f"Error creating notification: {e}")
             # Continue even if notification fails - the invitation was already processed
diff --git a/communities/api_join.py b/communities/api_join.py
index 4f5b3a6..4074af7 100644
--- a/communities/api_join.py
+++ b/communities/api_join.py
@@ -119,13 +119,15 @@ def join_community(request, community_id: int):
 
             # Send a notification to the first admin
             try:
-                Notification.objects.create(
-                    user=community.admins.first(),
-                    community=community,
-                    notification_type="join_request_received",
-                    message=f"New join request from {user.username}",
-                    link=f"/community/{community.name}/requests",
-                )
+                admin = community.admins.first()
+                if admin:
+                    Notification.objects.create(
+                        user=admin,
+                        community=community,
+                        notification_type="join_request_received",
+                        message=f"New join request from {user.username}",
+                        link=f"/community/{community.name}/requests",
+                    )
             except Exception as e:
                 logger.error(f"Error creating notification: {e}")
                 # Continue even if notification fails
diff --git a/communities/articles_api.py b/communities/articles_api.py
index 17f60b8..f2fdee4 100644
--- a/communities/articles_api.py
+++ b/communities/articles_api.py
@@ -111,17 +111,19 @@ def submit_article(request, community_name: str, article_slug: str):
 
         # Send a notification to the community admins
         try:
-            Notification.objects.create(
-                user=community.admins.first(),
-                community=community,
-                category="communities",
-                notification_type="article_submitted",
-                message=(
-                    f"New article submitted in {community.name} by {request.auth.username}"
-                ),
-                link=f"/community/{community.name}/submissions",
-                content=article.title,
-            )
+            admin = community.admins.first()
+            if admin:
+                Notification.objects.create(
+                    user=admin,
+                    community=community,
+                    category="communities",
+                    notification_type="article_submitted",
+                    message=(
+                        f"New article submitted in {community.name} by {request.auth.username}"
+                    ),
+                    link=f"/community/{community.name}/submissions",
+                    content=article.title,
+                )
         except Exception as e:
             logger.error(f"Error creating notification: {e}")
             # Continue even if notification fails