diff --git a/Tusker/Screens/Main/MainSplitViewController.swift b/Tusker/Screens/Main/MainSplitViewController.swift
index a66a0c45c7..105c534c6c 100644
--- a/Tusker/Screens/Main/MainSplitViewController.swift
+++ b/Tusker/Screens/Main/MainSplitViewController.swift
@@ -139,7 +139,9 @@ extension MainSplitViewController: UISplitViewControllerDelegate {
         // Transfer the nav stacks for all the sidebar items that map 1 <-> 1 with tabs
         for tab in [MainTabBarViewController.Tab.timelines, .notifications, .myProfile] {
             let tabNav = tabBarViewController.viewController(for: tab) as! UINavigationController
-            transferNavigationStack(from: .tab(tab), to: tabNav)
+            if tabNav.isViewLoaded {
+                transferNavigationStack(from: .tab(tab), to: tabNav)
+            }
         }
         
         // Since several sidebar items map to the single Explore tab, we only transfer the
@@ -235,7 +237,8 @@ extension MainSplitViewController: UISplitViewControllerDelegate {
         // For each sidebar item, transfer the existing navigation stasck from the tab bar controller to ourself.
         var exploreItem: MainSidebarViewController.Item?
         for tab in MainTabBarViewController.Tab.allCases {
-            guard let tabNavController = tabBarViewController.viewController(for: tab) as? UINavigationController else { continue }
+            guard let tabNavController = tabBarViewController.viewController(for: tab) as? UINavigationController,
+                  tabNavController.isViewLoaded else { continue }
             let tabNavigationStack = tabNavController.viewControllers
             
             switch tab {