diff --git a/src/Models/FilteredLayer.ts b/src/Models/FilteredLayer.ts
index e62977a03d..c5ec5005a5 100644
--- a/src/Models/FilteredLayer.ts
+++ b/src/Models/FilteredLayer.ts
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ export default class FilteredLayer {
         let isDisplayed: UIEventSource<boolean>
         let syncSelection: string = layer.syncSelection
         const userpreference: "default" | "no" | "local" | "theme-only" | "global" | string =
-            osmConnection.getPreference("layer-override-sync-selection").data
+            osmConnection?.getPreference("layer-override-sync-selection")?.data ?? "local"
         if (userpreference !== "default") {
             syncSelection = userpreference ?? syncSelection
         }