diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/jsonwizard/jsonwizard.cpp b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/jsonwizard/jsonwizard.cpp
index 0686c0caeed..c708dd5af44 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/jsonwizard/jsonwizard.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/jsonwizard/jsonwizard.cpp
@@ -290,7 +290,8 @@ void JsonWizard::accept()
     openFiles(m_files);
 
     auto node = static_cast<ProjectExplorer::Node*>(value(ProjectExplorer::Constants::PREFERRED_PROJECT_NODE).value<void*>());
-    openProjectForNode(node);
+    if (node) // PREFERRED_PROJECT_NODE is not set for newly created projects
+        openProjectForNode(node);
 }
 
 void JsonWizard::reject()
@@ -389,8 +390,6 @@ void JsonWizard::openProjectForNode(Node *node)
 {
     using namespace Utils;
 
-    QTC_ASSERT(node, return); // may happend when no project is opened
-
     ProjectNode *projNode = node->asProjectNode() ? node->asProjectNode() : node->parentProjectNode();
 
     QTC_ASSERT(projNode, return);