diff --git a/src/LeanOrm/DBConnector.php b/src/LeanOrm/DBConnector.php
index c3152e1..213d411 100644
--- a/src/LeanOrm/DBConnector.php
+++ b/src/LeanOrm/DBConnector.php
@@ -306,7 +306,7 @@ public function getConnectionName(): string {
      * 
      * @return mixed result of the query or false on failure or if there are no rows
      */
-    public function dbFetchOne(string $select_query, array $parameters = [] ) {
+    public function dbFetchOne(string $select_query, array $parameters = [] ): mixed {
 
         $result = static::_execute($select_query, $parameters, true, $this->connection_name);
         /** @psalm-suppress PossiblyInvalidArrayAccess */
diff --git a/src/LeanOrm/Model.php b/src/LeanOrm/Model.php
index 9478d1c..9623b34 100644
--- a/src/LeanOrm/Model.php
+++ b/src/LeanOrm/Model.php
@@ -1017,7 +1017,11 @@ protected function loadHasOne(
                          * @psalm-suppress MixedArrayOffset
                          * @psalm-suppress MixedMethodCall
                          */
-                        $parent_data[$p_rec_key]->setRelatedData($rel_name, $matching_related_rows[0]);
+                        $parent_data[$p_rec_key]->setRelatedData(
+                                 $rel_name, 
+                                 (\count($matching_related_rows) > 0) 
+                                     ? $matching_related_rows[0] : []
+                             );
 
                     } else {
 
@@ -1031,8 +1035,11 @@ protected function loadHasOne(
                          * @psalm-suppress MixedArrayOffset
                          * @psalm-suppress MixedArrayAssignment
                          * @psalm-suppress MixedArgument
+                         * @psalm-suppress PossiblyInvalidArgument
                          */
-                        $parent_data[$p_rec_key][$rel_name] = $matching_related_rows[0];
+                        $parent_data[$p_rec_key][$rel_name] = 
+                            (\count($matching_related_rows) > 0) 
+                                ? $matching_related_rows[0] : [];
                     }
                 } // foreach( $parent_data as $p_rec_key => $parent_record )
 
@@ -1050,7 +1057,10 @@ protected function loadHasOne(
 
                 //stitch the related data to the parent record
                 /** @psalm-suppress MixedArgument */
-                $parent_data->setRelatedData($rel_name, array_shift($related_data));
+                $parent_data->setRelatedData(
+                    $rel_name, 
+                    (\count($related_data) > 0) ? \array_shift($related_data) : []
+                );
             } // else if ($parent_data instanceof \GDAO\Model\RecordInterface)
         } // if( array_key_exists($rel_name, $this->relations) )
     }