diff --git a/src/display/drawing-item.cpp b/src/display/drawing-item.cpp
index 2c6848f6c2a1ecd6acc4f3853dbc08c36df23ebe..dfe0fb945ceffe2cec1b70a10cba94fceec7de4b 100644
--- a/src/display/drawing-item.cpp
+++ b/src/display/drawing-item.cpp
@@ -1215,7 +1215,7 @@ Geom::OptIntRect DrawingItem::_cacheRect()
         Geom::OptIntRect canvas = r;
         expandByScale(*canvas, 0.5);
         Geom::OptIntRect valid = Geom::intersect(canvas, _bbox);
-        if (!valid) {
+        if (!valid && _bbox) {
             valid = _bbox;
             // contract the item _bbox to get reduced size to render. $ seems good enought
             expandByScale(*valid, 0.5);