diff --git a/src/routes/api/note_map.js b/src/routes/api/note_map.js
index 6f5dd38d2..09b593c7f 100644
--- a/src/routes/api/note_map.js
+++ b/src/routes/api/note_map.js
@@ -317,7 +317,7 @@ function findExcerpts(sourceNote, referencedNoteId) {
 function getFilteredBacklinks(note) {
     return note.getTargetRelations()
         // search notes have "ancestor" relations which are not interesting
-        .filter(note => note.getNote().type !== 'search');
+        .filter(relation => !!relation.getNote() && relation.getNote().type !== 'search');
 }
 
 function getBacklinkCount(req) {