diff --git a/src/content-linter/lib/helpers/utils.js b/src/content-linter/lib/helpers/utils.js
index 637ce78915..f8c394b256 100644
--- a/src/content-linter/lib/helpers/utils.js
+++ b/src/content-linter/lib/helpers/utils.js
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ export const docsDomains = ['docs.github.com', 'help.github.com', 'developer.git
 // frontmatter properties.
 export function getFrontmatter(lines) {
   const fmString = lines.join('\n')
-  const data = matter(fmString).data
+  const { data } = matter(fmString)
   // If there is no frontmatter or the frontmatter contains
   // no keys, matter will return an empty object.
   if (Object.keys(data).length === 0) return null
diff --git a/src/content-linter/lib/linting-rules/annotate-frontmatter.js b/src/content-linter/lib/linting-rules/annotate-frontmatter.js
index fc4b7a8f33..316e84356d 100644
--- a/src/content-linter/lib/linting-rules/annotate-frontmatter.js
+++ b/src/content-linter/lib/linting-rules/annotate-frontmatter.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { addError, filterTokens } from 'markdownlint-rule-helpers'
-import matter from 'gray-matter'
+import { getFrontmatter } from '../helpers/utils.js'
 
 export const annotateFrontmatter = {
   names: ['GHD040', 'annotate-frontmatter'],
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@ export const annotateFrontmatter = {
   function: function GHD040(params, onError) {
     filterTokens(params, 'fence', (token) => {
       if (!token.info.includes('annotate')) return
-      const fm = matter(params.frontMatterLines.join('\n')).data
-      if (fm.layout && fm.layout === 'inline') return
+      const fm = getFrontmatter(params.frontMatterLines)
+      if (!fm || (fm.layout && fm.layout === 'inline')) return
 
       addError(
         onError,