diff --git a/.github/workflows/npm_publish.yml b/.github/workflows/npm_publish.yml
index b84eb41..84f4672 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/npm_publish.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/npm_publish.yml
@@ -7,10 +7,9 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      # Setup .npmrc file to publish to npm
-      - uses: actions/setup-node@v3
+      - uses: actions/setup-node@v4
         with:
-          node-version: '16.x'
+          node-version: '20'
           registry-url: 'https://registry.npmjs.org'
       - run: npm ci
       - run: npm run build
diff --git a/.github/workflows/tests.yml b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..42269ae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+name: Tests
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches: [ main ]
+  pull_request:
+
+jobs:
+  test:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout code
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Use Node.js
+        uses: actions/setup-node@v4
+        with:
+          node-version: '20'
+          cache: 'npm'
+
+      - name: Install dependencies
+        run: npm ci
+      
+      - name: Build
+        run: npm run build
+
+      - name: Run tests
+        run: npm run test
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 346a844..7242dba 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
   "name": "@blend-capital/blend-sdk",
-  "version": "2.1.0",
+  "version": "2.1.1",
   "lockfileVersion": 3,
   "requires": true,
   "packages": {
     "": {
       "name": "@blend-capital/blend-sdk",
-      "version": "2.1.0",
+      "version": "2.1.1",
       "license": "MIT",
       "dependencies": {
         "@stellar/stellar-sdk": "12.3.0",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index ac37a33..b82e360 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@blend-capital/blend-sdk",
-  "version": "2.1.0",
+  "version": "2.1.1",
   "description": "Javascript SDK for the Blend Protocol",
   "type": "module",
   "scripts": {
diff --git a/src/backstop/backstop_pool.ts b/src/backstop/backstop_pool.ts
index 07379d1..ced30e7 100644
--- a/src/backstop/backstop_pool.ts
+++ b/src/backstop/backstop_pool.ts
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ export class BackstopPool {
 
     let emission_config: EmissionConfig | undefined;
     let emission_data: EmissionData | undefined;
-    let poolBalance: PoolBalance | undefined;
+    let poolBalance = new PoolBalance(BigInt(0), BigInt(0), BigInt(0));
     let toGulpEmissions = BigInt(0);
     for (const entry of backstopPoolDataEntries.entries) {
       const ledgerData = entry.val;
@@ -62,9 +62,6 @@ export class BackstopPool {
       }
     }
 
-    if (poolBalance == undefined) {
-      throw new Error('Error: Unable to load backstop pool data');
-    }
     let emissions: Emissions | undefined;
     if (emission_config != undefined && emission_data != undefined) {
       emissions = new Emissions(
diff --git a/src/backstop/backstop_user_types.ts b/src/backstop/backstop_user_types.ts
index e640169..d4d4fbe 100644
--- a/src/backstop/backstop_user_types.ts
+++ b/src/backstop/backstop_user_types.ts
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ export class UserBalance {
       throw Error('UserBalance contract data value is not a map');
     }
 
-    let shares: bigint | undefined;
+    let shares = BigInt(0);
     const q4w: Q4W[] = [];
     let unlockedQ4W = BigInt(0);
     let totalQ4W = BigInt(0);
@@ -93,9 +93,7 @@ export class UserBalance {
           throw Error(`Invalid backstop UserBalance key: should not contain ${key}`);
       }
     }
-    if (shares == undefined) {
-      throw Error("Invalid UserBalance: should contain 'shares'");
-    }
+
     return new UserBalance(shares, q4w, unlockedQ4W, totalQ4W);
   }
 }