diff --git a/Tusker/Screens/Main/MainSplitViewController.swift b/Tusker/Screens/Main/MainSplitViewController.swift
index fba38a1488..3d2071c8e1 100644
--- a/Tusker/Screens/Main/MainSplitViewController.swift
+++ b/Tusker/Screens/Main/MainSplitViewController.swift
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ extension MainSplitViewController: UISplitViewControllerDelegate {
                 // If the tab navigation stack has only one item or the search controller is active, it corresponds to the Search item
                 // For other items, the 2nd VC in the nav stack determines which sidebar item they map to.
                 // Search screen has special considerations, all others can be transferred directly.
-                if tabNavigationStack.count == 1 || ((tabNavigationStack.first as? ExploreViewController)?.searchController.isActive ?? false) {
+                if tabNavigationStack.count == 1 || ((tabNavigationStack.first as? ExploreViewController)?.searchController?.isActive ?? false) {
                     exploreItem = .search
                     let searchVC = SearchViewController(mastodonController: mastodonController)
                     searchVC.loadViewIfNeeded()