diff --git a/tests/execute/restraint/tmt-abort/test.sh b/tests/execute/restraint/tmt-abort/test.sh
index 3080efdb9c..a4ca7cff0b 100755
--- a/tests/execute/restraint/tmt-abort/test.sh
+++ b/tests/execute/restraint/tmt-abort/test.sh
@@ -14,8 +14,11 @@ rlJournalStart
         rlAssertNotGrep "This test should not be executed." $rlRun_LOG
         rlAssertNotGrep "This should not be executed either." $rlRun_LOG
 
+
         rlAssertGrep "result: error" "${run}/plan/execute/results.yaml"
-        rlAssertGrep "note: aborted" "${run}/plan/execute/results.yaml"
+        rlAssertEquals "results should record the test aborted" \
+            "$(yq -r '.[] | .note | join(", ")' ${run}/plan/execute/results.yaml)" \
+            "beakerlib: State 'started', aborted"
     rlPhaseEnd
 
     rlPhaseStartCleanup
diff --git a/tmt/result.py b/tmt/result.py
index db168c6881..8dc934df08 100644
--- a/tmt/result.py
+++ b/tmt/result.py
@@ -152,7 +152,8 @@ class BaseResult(SerializableContainer):
         unserialize=ResultOutcome.from_spec
         )
     note: list[str] = field(
-        default_factory=cast(Callable[[], list[str]], list))
+        default_factory=cast(Callable[[], list[str]], list),
+        unserialize=lambda value: [] if value is None else value)
     log: list[Path] = field(
         default_factory=cast(Callable[[], list[Path]], list),
         serialize=lambda logs: [str(log) for log in logs],
diff --git a/tmt/steps/report/html/template.html.j2 b/tmt/steps/report/html/template.html.j2
index bb65387806..c7ee14796c 100644
--- a/tmt/steps/report/html/template.html.j2
+++ b/tmt/steps/report/html/template.html.j2
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ Context:
         {% endfor %}
         </td>
         <td class="data"><a href="{{ base_dir | linkable_path | urlencode }}/{{ result.data_path | urlencode }}">data</a></td>
-        <td class="note">{% if result.note %}{{ result.note | e }}{% else %}-{% endif %}</td>
+        <td class="note">{% if result.note %}{{ result.printable_note | e }}{% else %}-{% endif %}</td>
         <td class="action">
             {% if result.check %}
             <button onclick="toggle_row_visibility(this, 'check-{{ loop.index }}')" title="Show / hide checks">checks&nbsp;[+]</button>