diff --git a/release/firmware/ftlog/log_entries.go b/release/firmware/ftlog/log_entries.go
index ed11add..4108f40 100644
--- a/release/firmware/ftlog/log_entries.go
+++ b/release/firmware/ftlog/log_entries.go
@@ -66,12 +66,12 @@ type FirmwareRelease struct {
 
 	// BuildEnvs contains all environment variables set for this build. Each value in the string
 	// array will be a single key/value assignment, such as "DEBUG=1".
-	BuildEnvs []string `json:"build_envs"`
+	BuildEnvs []string `json:"build_envs,omitempty"`
 
 	// HAB holds a signature and related data for firmware which must be authenticated
 	// by the device's mask ROM at boot.
 	// Currently, this is only meaningful for Bootloader and Recovery firmware images.
-	HAB HAB `json:"hab"`
+	HAB *HAB `json:"hab,omitempty"`
 }
 
 // HAB holds information relating to SecureBoot.
diff --git a/release/firmware/update/fetch.go b/release/firmware/update/fetch.go
index cef314a..a3fb753 100644
--- a/release/firmware/update/fetch.go
+++ b/release/firmware/update/fetch.go
@@ -79,6 +79,9 @@ func BinaryPath(fr ftlog.FirmwareRelease) (string, error) {
 
 // HABSignaturePath returns the relative path within a bucket for the HAB signature referenced by the manifest.
 func HABSignaturePath(fr ftlog.FirmwareRelease) (string, error) {
+	if fr.HAB == nil {
+		return "", errors.New("no HAB information in manifest")
+	}
 	if len(fr.HAB.SignatureDigestSha256) == 0 {
 		return "", errors.New("HAB signature digest unset")
 	}
@@ -267,8 +270,12 @@ func (f *Fetcher) Scan(ctx context.Context) error {
 			continue
 		}
 		isHABComponent := manifest.Component == ftlog.ComponentBoot || manifest.Component == ftlog.ComponentRecovery
-		if isHABComponent && f.habTarget != "" && f.habTarget != manifest.HAB.Target {
-			klog.V(1).Infof("Skipping leaf %d as manifest hab target %q != required target %q", i, manifest.HAB.Target, f.habTarget)
+		if isHABComponent && f.habTarget != "" && (manifest.HAB == nil || f.habTarget != manifest.HAB.Target) {
+			mt := "nil"
+			if manifest.HAB != nil {
+				mt = manifest.HAB.Target
+			}
+			klog.V(1).Infof("Skipping leaf %d as manifest hab target %q != required target %q", i, mt, f.habTarget)
 			continue
 		}
 		bundle := &firmware.Bundle{
diff --git a/release/firmware/update/fetch_test.go b/release/firmware/update/fetch_test.go
index 3bd368f..2776405 100644
--- a/release/firmware/update/fetch_test.go
+++ b/release/firmware/update/fetch_test.go
@@ -137,22 +137,38 @@ func TestFetcher(t *testing.T) {
 				{
 					{Component: ftlog.ComponentOS, GitTagName: *semver.New("1.0.1")},
 					{Component: ftlog.ComponentApplet, GitTagName: *semver.New("1.1.1")},
-					{HAB: ftlog.HAB{Target: "orange"}, Component: ftlog.ComponentBoot, GitTagName: *semver.New("1.3.1")},
-					{HAB: ftlog.HAB{Target: "orange"}, Component: ftlog.ComponentRecovery, GitTagName: *semver.New("1.1.1")},
+					{HAB: &ftlog.HAB{Target: "orange"}, Component: ftlog.ComponentBoot, GitTagName: *semver.New("1.3.1")},
+					{HAB: &ftlog.HAB{Target: "orange"}, Component: ftlog.ComponentRecovery, GitTagName: *semver.New("1.1.1")},
 				},
 				{
-					{HAB: ftlog.HAB{Target: "orange"}, Component: ftlog.ComponentBoot, GitTagName: *semver.New("1.4.1")},
-					{HAB: ftlog.HAB{Target: "banana"}, Component: ftlog.ComponentRecovery, GitTagName: *semver.New("1.8.1")}, // this should be ignored
+					{HAB: &ftlog.HAB{Target: "orange"}, Component: ftlog.ComponentBoot, GitTagName: *semver.New("1.4.1")},
+					{HAB: &ftlog.HAB{Target: "banana"}, Component: ftlog.ComponentRecovery, GitTagName: *semver.New("1.8.1")}, // this should be ignored
 				},
 			},
 			want: [][]ftlog.FirmwareRelease{
 				{
-					{HAB: ftlog.HAB{Target: "orange"}, Component: ftlog.ComponentBoot, GitTagName: *semver.New("1.3.1")},
-					{HAB: ftlog.HAB{Target: "orange"}, Component: ftlog.ComponentRecovery, GitTagName: *semver.New("1.1.1")},
+					{HAB: &ftlog.HAB{Target: "orange"}, Component: ftlog.ComponentBoot, GitTagName: *semver.New("1.3.1")},
+					{HAB: &ftlog.HAB{Target: "orange"}, Component: ftlog.ComponentRecovery, GitTagName: *semver.New("1.1.1")},
 				},
 				{
-					{HAB: ftlog.HAB{Target: "orange"}, Component: ftlog.ComponentBoot, GitTagName: *semver.New("1.4.1")},
-					{HAB: ftlog.HAB{Target: "orange"}, Component: ftlog.ComponentRecovery, GitTagName: *semver.New("1.1.1")},
+					{HAB: &ftlog.HAB{Target: "orange"}, Component: ftlog.ComponentBoot, GitTagName: *semver.New("1.4.1")},
+					{HAB: &ftlog.HAB{Target: "orange"}, Component: ftlog.ComponentRecovery, GitTagName: *semver.New("1.1.1")},
+				},
+			},
+		}, {
+			desc:      "Missing HAB section",
+			habTarget: "orange", // only match HAB signed firmware targetting "orange" devices
+			releases: [][]ftlog.FirmwareRelease{
+				{
+					{Component: ftlog.ComponentOS, GitTagName: *semver.New("1.0.1")},
+					{Component: ftlog.ComponentApplet, GitTagName: *semver.New("1.1.1")},
+					{HAB: &ftlog.HAB{Target: "orange"}, Component: ftlog.ComponentBoot, GitTagName: *semver.New("1.1.1")},
+					{HAB: nil, Component: ftlog.ComponentBoot, GitTagName: *semver.New("1.3.1")},
+				},
+			},
+			want: [][]ftlog.FirmwareRelease{
+				{
+					{HAB: &ftlog.HAB{Target: "orange"}, Component: ftlog.ComponentBoot, GitTagName: *semver.New("1.1.1")},
 				},
 			},
 		}, {