fixes #343

src/main/java/de/catma/repository/git/managers/GitlabManagerRestricted.java

@@ -715,7 +715,10 @@ public List<Comment> getComments(ProjectReference projectReference, String docum
 				comment.setUserId(issue.getAuthor().getId());
 				comment.setUsername(issue.getAuthor().getName()); // TODO: if we're using the public name it shouldn't be called 'username' on the Comment class
 				comment.setReplyCount(issue.getUserNotesCount());
-
+
+				// gson doesn't initialize transient fields, so we need to do it explicitly
+				comment.setReplies(new ArrayList<>());
+
 				comments.add(comment);
 			}