diff --git a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/util/lib/util.js b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/util/lib/util.js
index ef43739e6..1930cd6be 100644
--- a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/util/lib/util.js
+++ b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/util/lib/util.js
@@ -325,7 +325,7 @@ function getObjectProperty(msg,expr) {
     var msgPropParts = normalisePropertyExpression(expr);
     var m;
     msgPropParts.reduce(function(obj, key) {
-        result = (typeof obj[key] !== "undefined" ? obj[key] : undefined);
+        result = ((obj && typeof obj[key] !== "undefined") ? obj[key] : undefined);
         return result;
     }, msg);
     return result;