diff --git a/lib/charms/grafana_k8s/v0/grafana_dashboard.py b/lib/charms/grafana_k8s/v0/grafana_dashboard.py
index 1b312d7..c20ab2b 100644
--- a/lib/charms/grafana_k8s/v0/grafana_dashboard.py
+++ b/lib/charms/grafana_k8s/v0/grafana_dashboard.py
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ def __init__(self, *args):
 # Increment this PATCH version before using `charmcraft publish-lib` or reset
 # to 0 if you are raising the major API version
 
-LIBPATCH = 31
+LIBPATCH = 32
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -525,7 +525,7 @@ def _validate_relation_by_interface_and_direction(
     relation = charm.meta.relations[relation_name]
 
     actual_relation_interface = relation.interface_name
-    if actual_relation_interface != expected_relation_interface:
+    if actual_relation_interface and actual_relation_interface != expected_relation_interface:
         raise RelationInterfaceMismatchError(
             relation_name, expected_relation_interface, actual_relation_interface
         )