diff --git a/lib/realtime/ghost.ex b/lib/realtime/ghost.ex
index 4817d34cb..2d095c599 100644
--- a/lib/realtime/ghost.ex
+++ b/lib/realtime/ghost.ex
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ defmodule Realtime.Ghost do
           trip_id: Trip.id(),
           headsign: String.t(),
           block_id: Block.id(),
-          run_id: Run.id(),
+          run_id: Run.id() | nil,
           via_variant: RoutePattern.via_variant() | nil,
           layover_departure_time: Util.Time.timestamp() | nil,
           scheduled_timepoint_status: TimepointStatus.timepoint_status(),
diff --git a/lib/realtime/vehicle_or_ghost.ex b/lib/realtime/vehicle_or_ghost.ex
index 473c10d4e..ac78afc4a 100644
--- a/lib/realtime/vehicle_or_ghost.ex
+++ b/lib/realtime/vehicle_or_ghost.ex
@@ -52,7 +52,9 @@ defmodule Realtime.VehicleOrGhost do
     |> matches?(text)
   end
 
-  @spec matches?(String.t(), String.t()) :: boolean()
+  @spec matches?(String.t() | nil, String.t()) :: boolean()
+  defp matches?(nil, _text), do: false
+
   defp matches?("999-0" <> shuttle_run, text) do
     # special case to match shuttle runs even without the leading 0
     matches?("999" <> shuttle_run, text) || matches?("9990" <> shuttle_run, text)
diff --git a/test/realtime/vehicle_or_ghost_test.exs b/test/realtime/vehicle_or_ghost_test.exs
index 2894918bd..17cfc3d3a 100644
--- a/test/realtime/vehicle_or_ghost_test.exs
+++ b/test/realtime/vehicle_or_ghost_test.exs
@@ -122,5 +122,11 @@ defmodule Realtime.VehicleOrGhostTest do
     test "short circuits to an empty result if trying to match on the empty string" do
       assert VehicleOrGhost.find_by(@vehicles, %{text: "", property: :all}) == []
     end
+
+    test "handles nil values" do
+      ghost_with_nil_run_id = %{@ghost | run_id: nil}
+
+      assert VehicleOrGhost.find_by([ghost_with_nil_run_id], %{text: "710", property: :all}) == []
+    end
   end
 end