diff --git a/list_builder.py b/list_builder.py
index 6d3787f1..034da6b3 100755
--- a/list_builder.py
+++ b/list_builder.py
@@ -31,7 +31,8 @@
 now = time.time()
 
 TOOLS_DIR = Path(__file__).resolve().parent
-FORUM_TOKEN = (TOOLS_DIR / ".forum_token").open("r", encoding="utf-8").read().strip()
+TOKEN_PATH = TOOLS_DIR / ".forum_token"
+FORUM_TOKEN = TOKEN_PATH.open("r", encoding="utf-8").read().strip() if TOKEN_PATH.is_file() else None
 FORUM_URL = "https://forum.yunohost.org"
 
 @cache
@@ -235,6 +236,9 @@ def build_app_dict(app, infos, cache_path: Path):
     }
 
 def put_forum_app_tags(forum_app_tags):
+    if FORUM_TOKEN is None:
+        logging.warning("FORUM_TOKEN not set, skipping tags update.")
+        return {}
     # 8 is the ID of the Applications tags list
     # We send the whole list, Discourse can manage pre-existing tags 
     url = f"{FORUM_URL}/tag_groups/8.json"