diff --git a/syft/pkg/apk_metadata.go b/syft/pkg/apk_metadata.go
index 104564883..21abd50df 100644
--- a/syft/pkg/apk_metadata.go
+++ b/syft/pkg/apk_metadata.go
@@ -87,6 +87,8 @@ func (a *spaceDelimitedStringSlice) UnmarshalJSON(data []byte) error {
 		}
 		*a = s
 		return nil
+	case nil:
+		return nil
 	default:
 		return fmt.Errorf("invalid type for string array: %T", obj)
 	}
diff --git a/syft/pkg/apk_metadata_test.go b/syft/pkg/apk_metadata_test.go
index 8eaa210d7..a5e5f4121 100644
--- a/syft/pkg/apk_metadata_test.go
+++ b/syft/pkg/apk_metadata_test.go
@@ -98,6 +98,15 @@ func TestApkMetadata_UnmarshalJSON(t *testing.T) {
 				Files:         []ApkFileRecord{{Path: "/usr"}},
 			},
 		},
+		{
+			name: "null pullDependencies",
+			input: `{
+"pullDependencies": null
+}`,
+			want: ApkMetadata{
+				Dependencies: nil,
+			},
+		},
 	}
 	for _, tt := range tests {
 		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {