diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 8546a32..0d9957a 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 ### Fixed
 - [#1798](https://github.com/org-roam/org-roam/pull/1798) org-roam-node-at-point: do not skip invisible headings
 - [#1807](https://github.com/org-roam/org-roam/pull/1807) capture: always trigger `:if-new` template for existing nodes
+- [#1813](https://github.com/org-roam/org-roam/pull/1813) db: prevent empty ROAM_ALIASES from crashing db updates
 
 ## 2.1.0
 ### Added
diff --git a/org-roam-db.el b/org-roam-db.el
index 89cdbb9..68df506 100644
--- a/org-roam-db.el
+++ b/org-roam-db.el
@@ -310,6 +310,7 @@ If UPDATE-P is non-nil, first remove the file in the database."
                (deadline nil)
                (level 0)
                (aliases (org-entry-get (point) "ROAM_ALIASES"))
+               (aliases (when aliases (split-string-and-unquote aliases)))
                (tags org-file-tags)
                (refs (org-entry-get (point) "ROAM_REFS"))
                (properties (org-entry-properties))
@@ -336,7 +337,7 @@ If UPDATE-P is non-nil, first remove the file in the database."
               :values $v1]
              (mapcar (lambda (alias)
                        (vector id alias))
-                     (split-string-and-unquote aliases))))
+                     aliases)))
           (when refs
             (setq refs (split-string-and-unquote refs))
             (let (rows)
@@ -386,13 +387,14 @@ If UPDATE-P is non-nil, first remove the file in the database."
 
 (defun org-roam-db-insert-aliases ()
   "Insert aliases for node at point into Org-roam cache."
-  (when-let ((node-id (org-id-get))
-             (aliases (org-entry-get (point) "ROAM_ALIASES")))
+  (when-let* ((node-id (org-id-get))
+              (aliases (org-entry-get (point) "ROAM_ALIASES"))
+              (aliases (split-string-and-unquote aliases)))
     (org-roam-db-query [:insert :into aliases
                         :values $v1]
                        (mapcar (lambda (alias)
                                  (vector node-id alias))
-                               (split-string-and-unquote aliases)))))
+                               aliases))))
 
 (defun org-roam-db-insert-tags ()
   "Insert tags for node at point into Org-roam cache."