diff --git a/desktop/plugins/public/layout/Inspector.tsx b/desktop/plugins/public/layout/Inspector.tsx
index 44632e03e..3b2893d77 100644
--- a/desktop/plugins/public/layout/Inspector.tsx
+++ b/desktop/plugins/public/layout/Inspector.tsx
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ export default class Inspector extends Component<Props, State> {
   // When opening the inspector for the first time, expand all elements that
   // contain only 1 child recursively.
   async performInitialExpand(element: Element | undefined): Promise<void> {
-    if (!element || !element.children.length) {
+    if (!element || !element.children || !element.children.length) {
       // element has no children so we're as deep as we can be
       return;
     }