diff --git a/source/blender/animrig/intern/action.cc b/source/blender/animrig/intern/action.cc
index 75e2cb331ac..9e4de3c55aa 100644
--- a/source/blender/animrig/intern/action.cc
+++ b/source/blender/animrig/intern/action.cc
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ FCurve *action_fcurve_ensure(Main *bmain,
       agrp = action_groups_add_new(act, group);
 
       /* Sync bone group colors if applicable. */
-      if (ptr && (ptr->type == &RNA_PoseBone)) {
+      if (ptr && (ptr->type == &RNA_PoseBone) && ptr->data) {
         const bPoseChannel *pchan = static_cast<const bPoseChannel *>(ptr->data);
         action_group_colors_set_from_posebone(agrp, pchan);
       }
diff --git a/source/blender/blenkernel/BKE_action.h b/source/blender/blenkernel/BKE_action.h
index fb8dfea95c0..53fccbe3316 100644
--- a/source/blender/blenkernel/BKE_action.h
+++ b/source/blender/blenkernel/BKE_action.h
@@ -136,6 +136,8 @@ void action_group_colors_set(struct bActionGroup *grp, const struct BoneColor *c
  *
  * If `pchan->color` is set to a non-default color, that is used. Otherwise the
  * armature bone color is used.
+ *
+ * Note that if `pchan->bone` is `nullptr`, this function silently does nothing.
  */
 void action_group_colors_set_from_posebone(bActionGroup *grp, const bPoseChannel *pchan);
 
diff --git a/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/action.cc b/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/action.cc
index 91fe3fbad05..49ecdb71169 100644
--- a/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/action.cc
+++ b/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/action.cc
@@ -375,6 +375,12 @@ void action_group_colors_sync(bActionGroup *grp, const bActionGroup *ref_grp)
 
 void action_group_colors_set_from_posebone(bActionGroup *grp, const bPoseChannel *pchan)
 {
+  BLI_assert_msg(pchan, "cannot 'set action group colors from posebone' without a posebone");
+  if (!pchan->bone) {
+    /* pchan->bone is only set after leaving editmode. */
+    return;
+  }
+
   const BoneColor &color = blender::animrig::ANIM_bonecolor_posebone_get(pchan);
   action_group_colors_set(grp, &color);
 }