diff --git a/__tests__/src/components/ManifestListItem.test.js b/__tests__/src/components/ManifestListItem.test.js
index ee8d39e9c..ec90f93e7 100644
--- a/__tests__/src/components/ManifestListItem.test.js
+++ b/__tests__/src/components/ManifestListItem.test.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { render, screen } from '@tests/utils/test-utils';
 import userEvent from '@testing-library/user-event';
-
+import { getManifestoInstance } from '../../../src/state/selectors';
 import { ManifestListItem } from '../../../src/components/ManifestListItem';
 
 /** */
@@ -46,6 +46,17 @@ describe('ManifestListItem', () => {
     expect(screen.getByText('The resource cannot be added:')).toBeInTheDocument();
     expect(screen.getByText('http://example.com')).toBeInTheDocument();
   });
+
+  it('renders an error message when fetched manifest is empty', () => {
+    const state = { manifests: { x: { json: {} } } };
+    const manifesto = getManifestoInstance(state, { manifestId: 'x' });
+
+    createWrapper({ error: !manifesto });
+
+    expect(screen.getByText('The resource cannot be added:')).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(screen.getByText('http://example.com')).toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+
   it('updates and adds window when button clicked', async () => {
     const user = userEvent.setup();
     const addWindow = vi.fn();
diff --git a/__tests__/src/selectors/manifests.test.js b/__tests__/src/selectors/manifests.test.js
index 68122efb9..bf14e2d0a 100644
--- a/__tests__/src/selectors/manifests.test.js
+++ b/__tests__/src/selectors/manifests.test.js
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 import { Utils } from 'manifesto.js';
+
+import collection from '../../fixtures/version-2/collection.json';
 import manifestFixture001 from '../../fixtures/version-2/001.json';
 import manifestFixture002 from '../../fixtures/version-2/002.json';
 import manifestFixture019 from '../../fixtures/version-2/019.json';
@@ -7,6 +9,7 @@ import manifestFixturev3001 from '../../fixtures/version-3/001.json';
 import manifestFixtureWithAProvider from '../../fixtures/version-3/with_a_provider.json';
 import manifestFixtureFg165hz3589 from '../../fixtures/version-2/fg165hz3589.json';
 import manifestFixtureRelated from '../../fixtures/version-2/related.json';
+
 import {
   getManifestoInstance,
   getManifestLocale,
diff --git a/src/containers/ManifestListItem.js b/src/containers/ManifestListItem.js
index 2c030ab7b..0e8d92e30 100644
--- a/src/containers/ManifestListItem.js
+++ b/src/containers/ManifestListItem.js
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ const mapStateToProps = (state, { manifestId, provider }) => {
     : getCanvases(state, { manifestId }).length;
   return {
     active: getWindowManifests(state).includes(manifestId),
-    error: manifest.error,
+    error: manifest.error || (!manifesto && !!manifest.json),
     isCollection,
     isFetching: manifest.isFetching,
     isMultipart: isCollection
diff --git a/src/state/selectors/manifests.js b/src/state/selectors/manifests.js
index ec7e93ae0..8defeb901 100644
--- a/src/state/selectors/manifests.js
+++ b/src/state/selectors/manifests.js
@@ -11,11 +11,14 @@ function createManifestoInstance(json, locale) {
   if (!json) return undefined;
   // Use structuredClone to create a deep copy and prevent Manifesto from mutating the json
   const manifestoObject = Utils.parseManifest(structuredClone(json), locale ? { locale } : undefined);
-  // Local patching of Manifesto so that when its a Collection, it behaves similarly
-  if (typeof manifestoObject.getSequences != 'function') {
-    manifestoObject.getSequences = () => [];
+  if (manifestoObject) {
+    // Local patching of Manifesto so that when its a Collection, it behaves similarly
+    if (typeof manifestoObject.getSequences != 'function') {
+      manifestoObject.getSequences = () => [];
+    }
+    return manifestoObject;
   }
-  return manifestoObject;
+  return undefined;
 }
 
 /** */