diff --git a/src/poly/cli_commands/review.py b/src/poly/cli_commands/review.py
index 2238350e..d20674bb 100644
--- a/src/poly/cli_commands/review.py
+++ b/src/poly/cli_commands/review.py
@@ -297,6 +297,15 @@ def delete_gists(cls, gist_id: Optional[str] = None, output_json: bool = False)
         choices = [format_gist_choice(g) for g in gists]
         description_to_id = {format_gist_choice(g): g["id"] for g in gists}
 
+        if output_json:
+            json_print(
+                {
+                    "success": False,
+                    "error": "Please provide a gist ID to delete when using JSON output.",
+                }
+            )
+            return
+
         selected = questionary.checkbox("Select gists to delete", choices=choices).ask()
         if not selected:
             warning("No gists selected. Exiting.")
diff --git a/src/poly/resources/handoff.py b/src/poly/resources/handoff.py
index 096970b1..81289a35 100644
--- a/src/poly/resources/handoff.py
+++ b/src/poly/resources/handoff.py
@@ -136,13 +136,15 @@ def from_projection(cls, projection: dict) -> dict[str, "Handoff"]:
         return handoffs
 
     def to_yaml_dict(self) -> dict:
-        return {
+        result = {
             "name": self.name,
             "description": self.description,
             "is_default": self.is_default,
             "sip_config": self.sip_config.to_yaml_dict(),
-            "sip_headers": self.sip_headers,
         }
+        if self.sip_headers:
+            result["sip_headers"] = self.sip_headers
+        return result
 
     @property
     def file_path(self) -> str:
diff --git a/src/poly/tests/github_api_test.py b/src/poly/tests/github_api_test.py
index b222ca68..c44fbe01 100644
--- a/src/poly/tests/github_api_test.py
+++ b/src/poly/tests/github_api_test.py
@@ -321,15 +321,23 @@ def test_direct_gist_id_with_json_output(self, mock_json_print, mock_delete, moc
     @patch("poly.cli_commands.review.GitHubAPIHandler.delete_gist")
     @patch("questionary.checkbox")
     @patch("poly.cli_commands.review.json_print")
-    def test_json_output_prints_success(self, mock_json_print, mock_checkbox, mock_delete, mock_list):
-        """With output_json=True, a success JSON object is printed after deletion."""
+    def test_json_output_without_gist_id_errors_without_prompting(
+        self, mock_json_print, mock_checkbox, mock_delete, mock_list
+    ):
+        """With output_json=True and no gist_id, a JSON error is printed and the
+        interactive checkbox prompt is never shown."""
         mock_list.return_value = self.SAMPLE_GISTS
-        first_choice = format_gist_choice(self.SAMPLE_GISTS[0])
-        mock_checkbox.return_value.ask.return_value = [first_choice]
 
         ReviewCommand.delete_gists(output_json=True)
 
-        mock_json_print.assert_called_once_with({"success": True})
+        mock_checkbox.assert_not_called()
+        mock_delete.assert_not_called()
+        mock_json_print.assert_called_once_with(
+            {
+                "success": False,
+                "error": "Please provide a gist ID to delete when using JSON output.",
+            }
+        )
 
 
 class ListGistsTest(unittest.TestCase):