diff --git a/src/core/pointcloud/qgspointcloudlayerprofilegenerator.cpp b/src/core/pointcloud/qgspointcloudlayerprofilegenerator.cpp
index 50b894579f96..b5f561253ce4 100644
--- a/src/core/pointcloud/qgspointcloudlayerprofilegenerator.cpp
+++ b/src/core/pointcloud/qgspointcloudlayerprofilegenerator.cpp
@@ -470,6 +470,10 @@ bool QgsPointCloudLayerProfileGenerator::generateProfile( const QgsProfileGenera
   }
   double rootErrorPixels = rootErrorInMapCoordinates / mapUnitsPerPixel; // in pixels
   const QVector<IndexedPointCloudNode> nodes = traverseTree( pc, pc->root(), maximumErrorPixels, rootErrorPixels, context.elevationRange() );
+  if ( nodes.empty() )
+  {
+    return false;
+  }
 
   const double rootErrorInLayerCoordinates = rootNodeExtentLayerCoords.width() / pc->span();
   const double maxErrorInMapCoordinates = maximumErrorPixels * mapUnitsPerPixel;