diff --git a/app/models/collection.rb b/app/models/collection.rb
index e018395923359899bae87f15d4d66f25e3516d94..dc7103ae913eaa3cc135a551cafc4a18b4f62f81 100644
--- a/app/models/collection.rb
+++ b/app/models/collection.rb
@@ -74,11 +74,12 @@ class Collection < ApplicationRecord
   has_paper_trail
 
   def search_data
+    owner_name = (owner.nil? || owner.name.blank?) ? "" : owner.name
     {
       name: name,
       description: description,
       privacy: privacy,
-      owner: owner.name,
+      owner: owner_name,
       tags: tags.map(&:name),
       subjects: subjects.pluck(:id),
       educational_stages: educational_stages.pluck(:id),