diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/tag_editor.py b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/tag_editor.py
index 7f4cbf21ae..374de6f955 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/tag_editor.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/tag_editor.py
@@ -131,6 +131,8 @@ class TagEditor(QDialog, Ui_TagEditor):
     def apply_tags(self, item=None):
         items = self.available_tags.selectedItems() if item is None else [item]
         rows = [self.available_tags.row(i) for i in items]
+        if not rows:
+            return
         row = max(rows)
         tags = self._get_applied_tags_box_contents()
         for item in items:
@@ -227,6 +229,7 @@ class TagEditor(QDialog, Ui_TagEditor):
     def save_state(self):
         gprefs['tag_editor_geometry'] = bytearray(self.saveGeometry())
 
+
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     from calibre.gui2 import Application
     from calibre.library import db