diff --git a/app/repositories/ln_impl/cln_grpc.py b/app/repositories/ln_impl/cln_grpc.py
index 2dadd8c..c36e406 100644
--- a/app/repositories/ln_impl/cln_grpc.py
+++ b/app/repositories/ln_impl/cln_grpc.py
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ async def _make_local_call(cmd: str):
     )
     stdout, stderr = await proc.communicate()
 
-    if stderr != None:
+    if stderr != None and stderr != b"":
         err = stderr.decode()
         if "lightning-cli: Connecting to 'lightning-rpc': Permission denied" in err:
             logging.critical(