diff --git a/plugins/text-editor-resources/src/components/MentionPopup.svelte b/plugins/text-editor-resources/src/components/MentionPopup.svelte
index b993a989de..7029a93f3f 100644
--- a/plugins/text-editor-resources/src/components/MentionPopup.svelte
+++ b/plugins/text-editor-resources/src/components/MentionPopup.svelte
@@ -47,6 +47,8 @@
 
   async function getMultipleEmployeeSearchItems (localQuery: string, lastIndex: number): Promise<SearchItem[]> {
     if (!multipleMentions) return []
+    if (employeeSearchCategory === undefined) return []
+
     const clazz =
       docClass && client.getHierarchy().hasClass(docClass) ? client.getHierarchy().getClass(docClass) : undefined
     const docTitle = await translate(clazz?.label ?? core.string.Object, {})