diff --git a/app/Models/EntityModel.php b/app/Models/EntityModel.php
index 6bc0c5b290fc..39b7f5fc1459 100644
--- a/app/Models/EntityModel.php
+++ b/app/Models/EntityModel.php
@@ -95,6 +95,10 @@ class EntityModel extends Eloquent
      */
     public static function getPrivateId($publicId)
     {
+        if (! $publicId) {
+            return null;
+        }
+
         $className = get_called_class();
 
         return $className::scope($publicId)->withTrashed()->value('id');