diff --git a/libs/ardour/port_manager.cc b/libs/ardour/port_manager.cc
index aa56ab8d43..268d7cb9fe 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/port_manager.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/port_manager.cc
@@ -1207,19 +1207,25 @@ PortManager::fill_midi_port_info_locked ()
 	for (MidiPortInfo::iterator x = midi_port_info.begin(); x != midi_port_info.end(); ++x) {
 		PortEngine::PortHandle ph = _backend->get_port_by_name (x->first);
 
+		if (!ph) {
+			/* port info saved from some condition where this port
+			 * existed, but no longer does (i.e. device unplugged
+			 * at present)
+			 */
+			continue;
+		}
+
 		if (x->second.pretty_name != x->first) {
 			/* name set in port info ... propagate */
 			_backend->set_port_property (ph, "http://jackaudio.org/metadata/pretty-name", x->second.pretty_name, string());
 		} else {
 			/* check with backend for pre-existing pretty name */
-			if (ph) {
-				string value;
-				string type;
-				if (0 == _backend->get_port_property (ph,
-				                                      "http://jackaudio.org/metadata/pretty-name",
-				                                      value, type)) {
-					x->second.pretty_name = value;
-				}
+			string value;
+			string type;
+			if (0 == _backend->get_port_property (ph,
+			                                      "http://jackaudio.org/metadata/pretty-name",
+			                                      value, type)) {
+				x->second.pretty_name = value;
 			}
 		}
 	}