diff --git a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/env-var.js b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/env-var.js
index db1a8e86f..998484858 100644
--- a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/env-var.js
+++ b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/env-var.js
@@ -50,7 +50,11 @@ RED.envVar = (function() {
         var new_env = [];
         var items = list.editableList('items');
         var credentials = gconf ? gconf.credentials : null;
-
+        if (!gconf && list.editableList('length') === 0) {
+            // No existing global-config node and nothing in the list,
+            // so no need to do anything more
+            return
+        }
         if (!credentials) {
             credentials = {
                 _ : {},
@@ -78,6 +82,12 @@ RED.envVar = (function() {
         if (gconf === null) {
             gconf = getGlobalConf(true);
         }
+        if (!gconf.credentials) {
+            gconf.credentials = {
+                _ : {},
+                map: {}
+            };
+        }
         if ((JSON.stringify(new_env) !== JSON.stringify(gconf.env)) ||
             (JSON.stringify(credentials) !== JSON.stringify(gconf.credentials))) {
             gconf.env = new_env;