diff --git a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layLayerProperties.cc b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layLayerProperties.cc
index f40066c09..0e899efad 100644
--- a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layLayerProperties.cc
+++ b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layLayerProperties.cc
@@ -640,7 +640,7 @@ LayerProperties::do_realize (const LayoutViewBase *view) const
 
       }
 
-      if (m_layer_index >= 0) {
+      if (m_layer_index >= 0 && cv->layout ().is_valid_layer (m_layer_index)) {
         const auto &lp = cv->layout ().get_properties (m_layer_index);
         if (! lp.name.empty () && m_source_real.name () != lp.name) {
           m_source_real.name (lp.name);