diff --git a/source/blender/blenkernel/BKE_grease_pencil.hh b/source/blender/blenkernel/BKE_grease_pencil.hh
index 44fb8364696..c02c7dddc1f 100644
--- a/source/blender/blenkernel/BKE_grease_pencil.hh
+++ b/source/blender/blenkernel/BKE_grease_pencil.hh
@@ -597,7 +597,7 @@ inline bool TreeNode::use_onion_skinning() const
 }
 inline StringRefNull TreeNode::name() const
 {
-  return this->name_ptr;
+  return (this->name_ptr != nullptr) ? this->name_ptr : StringRefNull();
 }
 inline const TreeNode &LayerGroup::as_node() const
 {