diff --git a/grafana_backup/create_alert_rule.py b/grafana_backup/create_alert_rule.py
index 9a3fcde5..27e45634 100644
--- a/grafana_backup/create_alert_rule.py
+++ b/grafana_backup/create_alert_rule.py
@@ -10,19 +10,20 @@ def main(args, settings, file_path):
     verify_ssl = settings.get('VERIFY_SSL')
     client_cert = settings.get('CLIENT_CERT')
     debug = settings.get('DEBUG')
+
     grafana_version_string = settings.get('GRAFANA_VERSION')
     if grafana_version_string:
-      grafana_version = version.parse(grafana_version_string)
+        grafana_version = version.parse(grafana_version_string)
+    else:
+        try:
+            grafana_version = get_grafana_version(grafana_url, verify_ssl, http_get_headers)
+        except KeyError as error:
+            if not grafana_version:
+                raise Exception("Grafana version is not set.") from error
 
     with open(file_path, 'r') as f:
         data = f.read()
 
-    try:
-        grafana_version = get_grafana_version(grafana_url, verify_ssl, http_get_headers)
-    except KeyError as error:
-        if not grafana_version:
-            raise Exception("Grafana version is not set.") from error
-
     minimum_version = version.parse('9.4.0')
 
     if minimum_version <= grafana_version:
diff --git a/grafana_backup/create_contact_point.py b/grafana_backup/create_contact_point.py
index 138879db..9ab2c9ad 100644
--- a/grafana_backup/create_contact_point.py
+++ b/grafana_backup/create_contact_point.py
@@ -11,11 +11,15 @@ def main(args, settings, file_path):
     client_cert = settings.get('CLIENT_CERT')
     debug = settings.get('DEBUG')
 
-    try:
-        grafana_version = get_grafana_version(grafana_url, verify_ssl, http_get_headers)
-    except KeyError as error:
-        if not grafana_version:
-            raise Exception("Grafana version is not set.") from error
+    grafana_version_string = settings.get('GRAFANA_VERSION')
+    if grafana_version_string:
+        grafana_version = version.parse(grafana_version_string)
+    else:
+        try:
+            grafana_version = get_grafana_version(grafana_url, verify_ssl, http_get_headers)
+        except KeyError as error:
+            if not grafana_version:
+                raise Exception("Grafana version is not set.") from error
 
     minimum_version = version.parse('9.4.0')
 
diff --git a/grafana_backup/dashboardApi.py b/grafana_backup/dashboardApi.py
index 8fbdaf89..fb84c286 100755
--- a/grafana_backup/dashboardApi.py
+++ b/grafana_backup/dashboardApi.py
@@ -515,7 +515,10 @@ def send_grafana_get(url, http_get_headers, verify_ssl, client_cert, debug):
                      verify=verify_ssl, cert=client_cert)
     if debug:
         log_response(r)
-    return (r.status_code, r.json())
+    try:
+        return (r.status_code, r.json())
+    except ValueError:
+        return (r.status_code, r.text)
 
 
 def send_grafana_post(url, json_payload, http_post_headers, verify_ssl=False, client_cert=None, debug=True):
diff --git a/grafana_backup/save_alert_rules.py b/grafana_backup/save_alert_rules.py
index 0e705fc8..cdd83beb 100644
--- a/grafana_backup/save_alert_rules.py
+++ b/grafana_backup/save_alert_rules.py
@@ -15,16 +15,16 @@ def main(args, settings):
     pretty_print = settings.get('PRETTY_PRINT')
     folder_path = '{0}/alert_rules/{1}'.format(backup_dir, timestamp)
     log_file = 'alert_rules_{0}.txt'.format(timestamp)
+
     grafana_version_string = settings.get('GRAFANA_VERSION')
     if grafana_version_string:
         grafana_version = version.parse(grafana_version_string)
-
-    try:
-        grafana_version = get_grafana_version(
-            grafana_url, verify_ssl, http_get_headers)
-    except KeyError as error:
-        if not grafana_version:
-            raise Exception("Grafana version is not set.") from error
+    else:
+        try:
+            grafana_version = get_grafana_version(grafana_url, verify_ssl, http_get_headers)
+        except KeyError as error:
+            if not grafana_version:
+                raise Exception("Grafana version is not set.") from error
 
     minimum_version = version.parse('9.4.0')
 
diff --git a/grafana_backup/save_contact_points.py b/grafana_backup/save_contact_points.py
index 8a95545f..e60f0a1d 100644
--- a/grafana_backup/save_contact_points.py
+++ b/grafana_backup/save_contact_points.py
@@ -15,16 +15,16 @@ def main(args, settings):
     pretty_print = settings.get('PRETTY_PRINT')
     folder_path = '{0}/contact_points/{1}'.format(backup_dir, timestamp)
     log_file = 'contact_points_{0}.txt'.format(timestamp)
-    grafana_version_string = settings.get('GRAFANA_VERSION')
 
+    grafana_version_string = settings.get('GRAFANA_VERSION')
     if grafana_version_string:
         grafana_version = version.parse(grafana_version_string)
-
-    try:
-        grafana_version = get_grafana_version(grafana_url, verify_ssl, http_get_headers)
-    except KeyError as error:
-        if not grafana_version:
-            raise Exception("Grafana version is not set.") from error
+    else:
+        try:
+            grafana_version = get_grafana_version(grafana_url, verify_ssl, http_get_headers)
+        except KeyError as error:
+            if not grafana_version:
+                raise Exception("Grafana version is not set.") from error
 
     minimum_version = version.parse('9.0.0')
     if minimum_version <= grafana_version:
diff --git a/grafana_backup/save_notification_policies.py b/grafana_backup/save_notification_policies.py
index dcf7ab8f..d69fff0e 100644
--- a/grafana_backup/save_notification_policies.py
+++ b/grafana_backup/save_notification_policies.py
@@ -15,16 +15,16 @@ def main(args, settings):
     pretty_print = settings.get('PRETTY_PRINT')
     folder_path = '{0}/notification_policies/{1}'.format(backup_dir, timestamp)
     log_file = 'notification_policies_{0}.txt'.format(timestamp)
-    grafana_version_string = settings.get('GRAFANA_VERSION')
 
+    grafana_version_string = settings.get('GRAFANA_VERSION')
     if grafana_version_string:
         grafana_version = version.parse(grafana_version_string)
-
-    try:
-        grafana_version = get_grafana_version(grafana_url, verify_ssl, http_get_headers)
-    except KeyError as error:
-        if not grafana_version:
-            raise Exception("Grafana version is not set.") from error
+    else:
+        try:
+            grafana_version = get_grafana_version(grafana_url, verify_ssl, http_get_headers)
+        except KeyError as error:
+            if not grafana_version:
+                raise Exception("Grafana version is not set.") from error
 
     minimum_version = version.parse('9.0.0')
     if minimum_version <= grafana_version:
diff --git a/grafana_backup/update_notification_policy.py b/grafana_backup/update_notification_policy.py
index f4388069..a8be891a 100644
--- a/grafana_backup/update_notification_policy.py
+++ b/grafana_backup/update_notification_policy.py
@@ -11,11 +11,15 @@ def main(args, settings, file_path):
     client_cert = settings.get('CLIENT_CERT')
     debug = settings.get('DEBUG')
 
-    try:
-        grafana_version = get_grafana_version(grafana_url, verify_ssl, http_get_headers)
-    except KeyError as error:
-        if not grafana_version:
-            raise Exception("Grafana version is not set.") from error
+    grafana_version_string = settings.get('GRAFANA_VERSION')
+    if grafana_version_string:
+        grafana_version = version.parse(grafana_version_string)
+    else:
+        try:
+            grafana_version = get_grafana_version(grafana_url, verify_ssl, http_get_headers)
+        except KeyError as error:
+            if not grafana_version:
+                raise Exception("Grafana version is not set.") from error
 
     minimum_version = version.parse('9.4.0')