diff --git a/src/plugins/studiowelcome/studiowelcomeplugin.cpp b/src/plugins/studiowelcome/studiowelcomeplugin.cpp
index d5ad29e44a2..f1e9ac284d2 100644
--- a/src/plugins/studiowelcome/studiowelcomeplugin.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/studiowelcome/studiowelcomeplugin.cpp
@@ -422,8 +422,11 @@ static QString tags(const FilePath &projectFilePath)
 
 QVariant ProjectModel::data(const QModelIndex &index, int role) const
 {
-    if (index.row() >= ProjectExplorer::ProjectExplorerPlugin::recentProjects().count())
+    if (!index.isValid() ||
+        index.row() >= ProjectExplorer::ProjectExplorerPlugin::recentProjects().count()) {
+
         return {};
+    }
 
     const ProjectExplorer::RecentProjectsEntry data =
             ProjectExplorer::ProjectExplorerPlugin::recentProjects().at(index.row());