diff --git a/orca-core/src/main/java/com/netflix/spinnaker/orca/pipeline/model/Execution.java b/orca-core/src/main/java/com/netflix/spinnaker/orca/pipeline/model/Execution.java
index c057c8ca6a..eb29710b63 100644
--- a/orca-core/src/main/java/com/netflix/spinnaker/orca/pipeline/model/Execution.java
+++ b/orca-core/src/main/java/com/netflix/spinnaker/orca/pipeline/model/Execution.java
@@ -16,10 +16,6 @@
 
 package com.netflix.spinnaker.orca.pipeline.model;
 
-import java.io.Serializable;
-import java.util.*;
-import javax.annotation.Nonnull;
-import javax.annotation.Nullable;
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.annotation.JsonCreator;
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.annotation.JsonIgnore;
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.annotation.JsonManagedReference;
@@ -28,6 +24,12 @@
 import com.netflix.spinnaker.orca.ExecutionStatus;
 import com.netflix.spinnaker.security.AuthenticatedRequest;
 import com.netflix.spinnaker.security.User;
+
+import javax.annotation.Nonnull;
+import javax.annotation.Nullable;
+import java.io.Serializable;
+import java.util.*;
+
 import static com.netflix.spinnaker.orca.ExecutionStatus.NOT_STARTED;
 import static com.netflix.spinnaker.orca.pipeline.model.Execution.ExecutionType.ORCHESTRATION;
 import static com.netflix.spinnaker.orca.pipeline.model.Execution.ExecutionType.PIPELINE;
@@ -37,6 +39,8 @@
 
 public class Execution implements Serializable {
 
+  public static final DefaultTrigger NO_TRIGGER = new DefaultTrigger("none");
+
   public Execution(ExecutionType type, String application) {
     this(type, UUID.randomUUID().toString(), application);
   }
@@ -229,7 +233,7 @@ public void setOrigin(@Nullable String origin) {
     this.origin = origin;
   }
 
-  private Trigger trigger = null;
+  private Trigger trigger = NO_TRIGGER;
 
   public @Nonnull Trigger getTrigger() {
     return trigger;
diff --git a/orca-core/src/main/java/com/netflix/spinnaker/orca/pipeline/persistence/jedis/JedisExecutionRepository.java b/orca-core/src/main/java/com/netflix/spinnaker/orca/pipeline/persistence/jedis/JedisExecutionRepository.java
index 3a8f1d4d37..77d5e6743f 100644
--- a/orca-core/src/main/java/com/netflix/spinnaker/orca/pipeline/persistence/jedis/JedisExecutionRepository.java
+++ b/orca-core/src/main/java/com/netflix/spinnaker/orca/pipeline/persistence/jedis/JedisExecutionRepository.java
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@
 import static com.google.common.collect.Maps.filterValues;
 import static com.netflix.spinnaker.orca.pipeline.model.Execution.ExecutionType.ORCHESTRATION;
 import static com.netflix.spinnaker.orca.pipeline.model.Execution.ExecutionType.PIPELINE;
+import static com.netflix.spinnaker.orca.pipeline.model.Execution.NO_TRIGGER;
 import static com.netflix.spinnaker.orca.pipeline.model.SyntheticStageOwner.STAGE_BEFORE;
 import static java.lang.String.format;
 import static java.lang.System.currentTimeMillis;
@@ -504,7 +505,7 @@ private Execution retrieveInternal(RedisClientDelegate redisClientDelegate, Exec
       }
       execution.setKeepWaitingPipelines(Boolean.parseBoolean(map.get("keepWaitingPipelines")));
       execution.setOrigin(map.get("origin"));
-      execution.setTrigger(mapper.readValue(map.get("trigger"), Trigger.class));
+      execution.setTrigger(map.get("trigger") != null ? mapper.readValue(map.get("trigger"), Trigger.class) : NO_TRIGGER);
     } catch (Exception e) {
       throw new ExecutionSerializationException("Failed serializing execution json", e);
     }