diff --git a/src/pyj/read_book/overlay.pyj b/src/pyj/read_book/overlay.pyj
index 39ef494851..635390a756 100644
--- a/src/pyj/read_book/overlay.pyj
+++ b/src/pyj/read_book/overlay.pyj
@@ -375,7 +375,7 @@ class MainOverlay:  # {{{
             onclick=def (evt):evt.stopPropagation();,
 
             set_css(E.div(  # top row
-                E.div(self.overlay.view.book.metadata.title or _('Unknown'), style='max-width: 90%; text-overflow: ellipsis; font-weight: bold; white-space: nowrap; overflow: hidden'),
+                E.div(self.overlay.view.book?.metadata?.title or _('Unknown'), style='max-width: 90%; text-overflow: ellipsis; font-weight: bold; white-space: nowrap; overflow: hidden'),
                 E.div(self.date_formatter.format(Date()), id=timer_id(), style='max-width: 9%; white-space: nowrap; overflow: hidden'),
                 ),
                 display='flex', justify_content='space-between', align_items='baseline', font_size='smaller', padding='0.5ex 1ex', border_bottom='solid 1px currentColor'