diff --git a/__test__/unittest/query_builder.test.ts b/__test__/unittest/query_builder.test.ts
index a26f4b3..bd05b44 100644
--- a/__test__/unittest/query_builder.test.ts
+++ b/__test__/unittest/query_builder.test.ts
@@ -299,7 +299,10 @@ describe("test query builder class", () => {
       // @ts-expect-error TODO: change after APIEdge split from query_graph_handler
       const builder = new qb(edge);
       const res = builder.needPagination(response);
-      expect(res).toBeFalsy();
+      expect(res).toMatchObject({
+        paginationStart: 0,
+        paginationSize: 0
+      });
     });
 
     test("biothings tagged api with post method should return false", () => {
@@ -316,7 +319,10 @@ describe("test query builder class", () => {
       // @ts-expect-error TODO: change after APIEdge split from query_graph_handler
       const builder = new qb(edge);
       const res = builder.needPagination(response);
-      expect(res).toBeFalsy();
+      expect(res).toMatchObject({
+        paginationStart: 0,
+        paginationSize: 0
+      });
     });
 
     test("biothings tagged api with get method and needs pagniation should return true", () => {
@@ -333,7 +339,10 @@ describe("test query builder class", () => {
       // @ts-expect-error TODO: change after APIEdge split from query_graph_handler
       const builder = new qb(edge);
       const res = builder.needPagination(response);
-      expect(res).toBeTruthy();
+      expect(res).not.toMatchObject({
+        paginationStart: 0,
+        paginationSize: 0
+      });
     });
 
     test("biothings tagged api with get method and doesn't need pagniation should return false", () => {
@@ -350,7 +359,10 @@ describe("test query builder class", () => {
       // @ts-expect-error TODO: change after APIEdge split from query_graph_handler
       const builder = new qb(edge);
       const res = builder.needPagination(response);
-      expect(res).toBeFalsy();
+      expect(res).toMatchObject({
+        paginationStart: 0,
+        paginationSize: 0
+      });
     });
   });
 });
diff --git a/__test__/unittest/template_query_builder.test.ts b/__test__/unittest/template_query_builder.test.ts
index 9b0dc9c..e372905 100644
--- a/__test__/unittest/template_query_builder.test.ts
+++ b/__test__/unittest/template_query_builder.test.ts
@@ -366,7 +366,10 @@ describe("test query builder class", () => {
       // @ts-expect-error TODO: change after extracting APIEdge from query_graph_handler
       const builder = new qb(edge, queryHandlerOptions);
       const res = builder.needPagination(response);
-      expect(res).toBeFalsy();
+      expect(res).toMatchObject({
+        paginationStart: 0,
+        paginationSize: 0
+      });
     });
 
     test("biothings tagged api with post method should return false", () => {
@@ -385,7 +388,10 @@ describe("test query builder class", () => {
       // @ts-expect-error TODO: change after extracting APIEdge from query_graph_handler
       const builder = new qb(edge, queryHandlerOptions);
       const res = builder.needPagination(response);
-      expect(res).toBeFalsy();
+      expect(res).toMatchObject({
+        paginationStart: 0,
+        paginationSize: 0
+      });
     });
 
     test("biothings tagged api with get method and needs pagniation should return true", () => {
@@ -403,7 +409,10 @@ describe("test query builder class", () => {
       // @ts-expect-error TODO: change after extracting APIEdge from query_graph_handler
       const builder = new qb(edge, queryHandlerOptions);
       const res = builder.needPagination(response);
-      expect(res).toBeTruthy();
+      expect(res).not.toMatchObject({
+        paginationStart: 0,
+        paginationSize: 0
+      });
     });
 
     test("biothings tagged api with get method and doesn't need pagniation should return false", () => {
@@ -421,7 +430,10 @@ describe("test query builder class", () => {
       // @ts-expect-error TODO: change after extracting APIEdge from query_graph_handler
       const builder = new qb(edge, queryHandlerOptions);
       const res = builder.needPagination(response);
-      expect(res).toBeFalsy();
+      expect(res).toMatchObject({
+        paginationStart: 0,
+        paginationSize: 0
+      });
     });
   });
 });
diff --git a/src/builder/template_query_builder.ts b/src/builder/template_query_builder.ts
index 12707ba..ae58d02 100644
--- a/src/builder/template_query_builder.ts
+++ b/src/builder/template_query_builder.ts
@@ -168,6 +168,7 @@ export default class TemplateQueryBuilder extends BaseQueryBuilder {
       }
     } else if (
       this.APIEdge.query_operation.method === "get" &&
+      this.APIEdge.association != null &&  // abstract comparison for null and undefined
       this.APIEdge.association.api_name === "Monarch API"
     ) {
       if (