diff --git a/interface/super/rules/library/RuleManager.php b/interface/super/rules/library/RuleManager.php
index 84be4398239..cb864dcb7fb 100644
--- a/interface/super/rules/library/RuleManager.php
+++ b/interface/super/rules/library/RuleManager.php
@@ -498,6 +498,9 @@ function updateSummary($ruleId, $types, $title, $developer, $funding, $release,
     {
         $rule = $this->getRule($ruleId);
 
+        // if $types is empty, then set to empty array so the in_array() calls below will work
+        $types = $types ?: [];
+
         if (is_null($rule)) {
             // add
             $result = sqlQuery("select count(*)+1 AS id from clinical_rules");