diff --git a/libs/ardour/route.cc b/libs/ardour/route.cc
index 912f03aa1d..ee7e29382d 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/route.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/route.cc
@@ -3117,6 +3117,11 @@ void
 Route::set_processor_state (const XMLNode& node, int version)
 {
 	const XMLNodeList &nlist = node.children();
+
+	if (nlist.empty()) {
+		return;
+	}
+
 	XMLNodeConstIterator niter;
 	ProcessorList new_order;
 	bool must_configure = false;