diff --git a/internal/tui/components/chat/editor/editor.go b/internal/tui/components/chat/editor/editor.go
index f26658b95fe9f4d8ac6e0102b42def14c04e9ea5..6a9973da83a91111f1652bd59a03351a2e4216bd 100644
--- a/internal/tui/components/chat/editor/editor.go
+++ b/internal/tui/components/chat/editor/editor.go
@@ -410,7 +410,7 @@ func (m *editorCmp) randomizePlaceholders() {
 func (m *editorCmp) View() string {
 	t := styles.CurrentTheme()
 	// Update placeholder
-	if m.app.CoderAgent.IsBusy() {
+	if m.app.CoderAgent != nil && m.app.CoderAgent.IsBusy() {
 		m.textarea.Placeholder = m.workingPlaceholder
 	} else {
 		m.textarea.Placeholder = m.readyPlaceholder