diff --git a/static/js/directives/ui/markdown/markdown-view.component.ts b/static/js/directives/ui/markdown/markdown-view.component.ts
index d6045af03..3ba698942 100644
--- a/static/js/directives/ui/markdown/markdown-view.component.ts
+++ b/static/js/directives/ui/markdown/markdown-view.component.ts
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ export class MarkdownViewComponent implements OnChanges {
     if (changes['content']) {
       if (!changes['content'].currentValue && this.placeholderNeeded) {
         this.convertedHTML = this.$sce.trustAsHtml(this.placeholder);
-      } else if (this.firstLineOnly) {
+      } else if (this.firstLineOnly && changes['content'].currentValue) {
         const firstLine: string = changes['content'].currentValue.split('\n')
           // Skip code lines
           .filter(line => line.indexOf('    ') != 0)
@@ -41,9 +41,8 @@ export class MarkdownViewComponent implements OnChanges {
 
         this.convertedHTML = this.$sanitize(this.markdownConverter.makeHtml(firstLine));
       } else {
-        this.convertedHTML = this.$sanitize(this.markdownConverter.makeHtml(changes['content'].currentValue));
+        this.convertedHTML = this.$sanitize(this.markdownConverter.makeHtml(changes['content'].currentValue || ''));
       }
-
     }
   }
 }