diff --git a/modpol/orgs/orgs.lua b/modpol/orgs/orgs.lua
index 6a0d373..d3b0564 100644
--- a/modpol/orgs/orgs.lua
+++ b/modpol/orgs/orgs.lua
@@ -363,7 +363,13 @@ modpol.reset_orgs = function()
    if preserve_records then
       for id, org in pairs(modpol.orgs) do
          local old_ledger = org.ledger
-         table.insert(old_ledger,modpol.create_ledger_entry('Removing org '.. id, id, 'org_purge'))
+         local entry = modpol.create_ledger_entry('Removing org '.. id, id, 'org_purge')
+
+         if old_ledger == nil then
+            old_ledger = { entry }
+         else
+            table.insert(old_ledger, entry)
+         end
          modpol.old_ledgers[id] = old_ledger
       end
    end