diff --git a/internal/api/middleware.go b/internal/api/middleware.go
index 30d6401..07f7345 100644
--- a/internal/api/middleware.go
+++ b/internal/api/middleware.go
@@ -72,3 +72,10 @@ func (r *statusRecorder) WriteHeader(code int) {
 	r.status = code
 	r.ResponseWriter.WriteHeader(code)
 }
+
+// Flush delegates to the underlying ResponseWriter if it supports http.Flusher (needed for SSE).
+func (r *statusRecorder) Flush() {
+	if f, ok := r.ResponseWriter.(http.Flusher); ok {
+		f.Flush()
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/api/projects.go b/internal/api/projects.go
index 029f19d..8aa73de 100644
--- a/internal/api/projects.go
+++ b/internal/api/projects.go
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ func (s *Server) listProjects(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		respondError(w, http.StatusInternalServerError, "failed to list projects: "+err.Error())
 		return
 	}
+	if projects == nil {
+		projects = []store.Project{}
+	}
 	respondJSON(w, http.StatusOK, projects)
 }