diff --git a/docs/howto-develop.rst b/docs/howto-develop.rst
index dbf3024..700f9d0 100644
--- a/docs/howto-develop.rst
+++ b/docs/howto-develop.rst
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ section on the migration page in the documentation.
   {
     assertions = [
       {
-        assertion = config.mailserver.stateVersion >= 1;
+        assertion = config.mailserver.stateVersion != null -> config.mailserver.stateVersion >= 1;
         message = ''
           Problem: The home directory for the foobar service is snafu.
           Remediation:
diff --git a/mail-server/assertions.nix b/mail-server/assertions.nix
index 929f592..c606bda 100644
--- a/mail-server/assertions.nix
+++ b/mail-server/assertions.nix
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
       lib.optionals (config.mailserver.ldap.enable && config.mailserver.mailDirectory != "/var/vmail")
         [
           {
-            assertion = config.mailserver.stateVersion >= 2;
+            assertion = config.mailserver.stateVersion != null -> config.mailserver.stateVersion >= 2;
             message = ''
               Issue: The dovecot homedir for LDAP users was previously not respecting `mailserver.mailDirectory`.
               Remediation:
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
         ]
     ++ [
       {
-        assertion = config.mailserver.stateVersion >= 3;
+        assertion = config.mailserver.stateVersion != null -> config.mailserver.stateVersion >= 3;
         message = ''
           Issue: The dovecot mail location for all users has changed and need to be migrated.