diff --git a/CHANGES/+imp_exp_4_prep.bugfix b/CHANGES/+imp_exp_4_prep.bugfix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2b35ad74c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/CHANGES/+imp_exp_4_prep.bugfix
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+Teach modelresource.render it might get a `value` of None.
+
+This prepares us to handle a django-import-export/4 codepath.
diff --git a/pulp_deb/app/modelresource.py b/pulp_deb/app/modelresource.py
index 99b9bf891..3f2c85eb8 100644
--- a/pulp_deb/app/modelresource.py
+++ b/pulp_deb/app/modelresource.py
@@ -163,6 +163,8 @@ class ReleaseComponentForeignKeyWidget(ForeignKeyWidget):
 
         def render(self, value, obj=None, **kwargs):
             """Render formatted string to use as unique-identifier."""
+            if not value:
+                return ""
             rc_dist = value.distribution
             rc_comp = value.component
             return f"{rc_dist}|{rc_comp}"
@@ -177,6 +179,8 @@ class PackageForeignKeyWidget(ForeignKeyWidget):
 
         def render(self, value, obj=None, **kwargs):
             """Render formatted string to use as unique-identifier."""
+            if not value:
+                return ""
             pkg_relative_path = value.relative_path
             pkg_sha256 = value.sha256
             return f"{pkg_relative_path}|{pkg_sha256}"