diff --git a/src/widgets/widgets/qdockarealayout.cpp b/src/widgets/widgets/qdockarealayout.cpp
index ac061e7071..72a463b30b 100644
--- a/src/widgets/widgets/qdockarealayout.cpp
+++ b/src/widgets/widgets/qdockarealayout.cpp
@@ -1471,7 +1471,7 @@ QList<int> QDockAreaLayoutInfo::indexOf(QWidget *widget) const
             continue;
         }
 
-        if (!(item.flags & QDockAreaLayoutItem::GapItem) && item.widgetItem->widget() == widget) {
+        if (!(item.flags & QDockAreaLayoutItem::GapItem) && item.widgetItem && item.widgetItem->widget() == widget) {
             QList<int> result;
             result << i;
             return result;