diff --git a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/tab-info-outliner.js b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/tab-info-outliner.js
index 32491f297..760840133 100644
--- a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/tab-info-outliner.js
+++ b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/tab-info-outliner.js
@@ -613,6 +613,9 @@ RED.sidebar.info.outliner = (function() {
                 objects[n.id].children = missingParents[n.id];
                 delete missingParents[n.id]
             }
+            if (objects[n.id].children.length === 0) {
+                objects[n.id].children.push(getEmptyItem(n.id));
+            }
         }
         var parent = n.g||n.z||"__global__";