diff --git a/lib/extension/homeassistant.ts b/lib/extension/homeassistant.ts
index 3cbde4c65..0ab775c46 100644
--- a/lib/extension/homeassistant.ts
+++ b/lib/extension/homeassistant.ts
@@ -1462,7 +1462,7 @@ export default class HomeAssistant extends Extension {
         }
 
         if (entity.isDevice() && entity.definition?.ota && message.hasOwnProperty('update')) {
-            message['update']['installed_version'] = entity.zh.softwareBuildID;
+            message['update']['installed_version'] = entity.zh.softwareBuildID || 'unknown';
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/test/frontend.test.js b/test/frontend.test.js
index 4a540dac6..3e618650a 100644
--- a/test/frontend.test.js
+++ b/test/frontend.test.js
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ describe('Frontend', () => {
         expect(MQTT.publish).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
         expect(MQTT.publish).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
             'zigbee2mqtt/bulb_color',
-            stringify({state: 'ON', power_on_behavior:null, linkquality: null, update_available: null, update: {state: null, installed_version: null}}),
+            stringify({state: 'ON', power_on_behavior:null, linkquality: null, update_available: null, update: {state: null, installed_version: "unknown"}}),
             { retain: false, qos: 0 },
             expect.any(Function)
         );
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ describe('Frontend', () => {
 
         // Received message on socket
         expect(mockWSClient.implementation.send).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
-        expect(mockWSClient.implementation.send).toHaveBeenCalledWith(stringify({topic: 'bulb_color', payload: {state: 'ON', power_on_behavior:null, linkquality: null, update_available: null, update: {state: null, installed_version: null}}}));
+        expect(mockWSClient.implementation.send).toHaveBeenCalledWith(stringify({topic: 'bulb_color', payload: {state: 'ON', power_on_behavior:null, linkquality: null, update_available: null, update: {state: null, installed_version: "unknown"}}}));
 
         // Shouldnt set when not ready
         mockWSClient.implementation.send.mockClear();
diff --git a/test/homeassistant.test.js b/test/homeassistant.test.js
index 9ab7d8dad..e03fd7ca1 100644
--- a/test/homeassistant.test.js
+++ b/test/homeassistant.test.js
@@ -955,7 +955,7 @@ describe('HomeAssistant extension', () => {
         expect(MQTT.publish).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
         expect(MQTT.publish).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
             'zigbee2mqtt/bulb_color',
-            stringify({"color":{"hue": 0, "saturation": 100, "h": 0, "s": 100}, "color_mode": "hs", "linkquality": null, "state": null, "update_available": null, "power_on_behavior":null, "update": {"state": null, "installed_version": null}}),
+            stringify({"color":{"hue": 0, "saturation": 100, "h": 0, "s": 100}, "color_mode": "hs", "linkquality": null, "state": null, "update_available": null, "power_on_behavior":null, "update": {"state": null, "installed_version": "unknown"}}),
             { retain: false, qos: 0 },
             expect.any(Function),
         );
@@ -971,7 +971,7 @@ describe('HomeAssistant extension', () => {
         expect(MQTT.publish).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
         expect(MQTT.publish).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
             'zigbee2mqtt/bulb_color',
-            stringify({"color": {"x": 0.4576,"y": 0.41}, "color_mode": "xy", "linkquality": null,"state": null, "update_available": null, "power_on_behavior":null, "update": {"state": null, "installed_version": null}}),
+            stringify({"color": {"x": 0.4576,"y": 0.41}, "color_mode": "xy", "linkquality": null,"state": null, "update_available": null, "power_on_behavior":null, "update": {"state": null, "installed_version": "unknown"}}),
             { retain: false, qos: 0 },
             expect.any(Function),
         );
@@ -987,7 +987,7 @@ describe('HomeAssistant extension', () => {
         expect(MQTT.publish).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
         expect(MQTT.publish).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
             'zigbee2mqtt/bulb_color',
-            stringify({"linkquality": null,"state": "ON", "update_available": null, "power_on_behavior": null, "update": {"state": null, "installed_version": null}}),
+            stringify({"linkquality": null,"state": "ON", "update_available": null, "power_on_behavior": null, "update": {"state": null, "installed_version": "unknown"}}),
             { retain: false, qos: 0 },
             expect.any(Function),
         );
@@ -1075,13 +1075,13 @@ describe('HomeAssistant extension', () => {
         await flushPromises();
         expect(MQTT.publish).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
             'zigbee2mqtt/bulb',
-            stringify({"state":"ON","brightness":50,"color_temp":370,"linkquality":99,"power_on_behavior":null, "update_available": null, "update": {"state": null, "installed_version": null}}),
+            stringify({"state":"ON","brightness":50,"color_temp":370,"linkquality":99,"power_on_behavior":null, "update_available": null, "update": {"state": null, "installed_version": "unknown"}}),
             { retain: true, qos: 0 },
             expect.any(Function)
         );
         expect(MQTT.publish).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
             'zigbee2mqtt/remote',
-            stringify({"action":null,"action_duration":null,"battery":null,"brightness":255,"linkquality":null, "update_available": null, "update": {"state": null, "installed_version": null}}),
+            stringify({"action":null,"action_duration":null,"battery":null,"brightness":255,"linkquality":null, "update_available": null, "update": {"state": null, "installed_version": "unknown"}}),
             { retain: true, qos: 0 },
             expect.any(Function)
         );
@@ -1105,13 +1105,13 @@ describe('HomeAssistant extension', () => {
         await flushPromises();
         expect(MQTT.publish).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
             'zigbee2mqtt/bulb',
-            stringify({"state":"ON","brightness":50,"color_temp":370,"linkquality":99,"power_on_behavior":null, "update_available": null, "update": {"state": null, "installed_version": null}}),
+            stringify({"state":"ON","brightness":50,"color_temp":370,"linkquality":99,"power_on_behavior":null, "update_available": null, "update": {"state": null, "installed_version": "unknown"}}),
             { retain: true, qos: 0 },
             expect.any(Function)
         );
         expect(MQTT.publish).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
             'zigbee2mqtt/remote',
-            stringify({"action":null,"action_duration":null,"battery":null,"brightness":255,"linkquality":null, "update_available": null, "update": {"state": null, "installed_version": null}}),
+            stringify({"action":null,"action_duration":null,"battery":null,"brightness":255,"linkquality":null, "update_available": null, "update": {"state": null, "installed_version": "unknown"}}),
             { retain: true, qos: 0 },
             expect.any(Function)
         );