diff --git a/src/modules/backlight.cpp b/src/modules/backlight.cpp
index a93934b4..d982ee6b 100644
--- a/src/modules/backlight.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/backlight.cpp
@@ -214,12 +214,10 @@ void waybar::modules::Backlight::upsert_device(ForwardIt first, ForwardIt last,
       strncmp(name, "amdgpu_bl", 9) == 0 ? "brightness" : "actual_brightness";
 
   const char *actual = udev_device_get_sysattr_value(dev, actual_brightness_attr);
-  check_nn(actual);
-  const int actual_int = std::stoi(actual);
+  const int actual_int = actual == nullptr ? 0 : std::stoi(actual);
 
   const char *max = udev_device_get_sysattr_value(dev, "max_brightness");
-  check_nn(max);
-  const int max_int = std::stoi(max);
+  const int max_int = max == nullptr ? 0 : std::stoi(max);
 
   auto found =
       std::find_if(first, last, [name](const auto &device) { return device.name() == name; });