diff --git a/src/common/user-store/preferences-helpers.ts b/src/common/user-store/preferences-helpers.ts
index acbea2943e..807bf8ca4c 100644
--- a/src/common/user-store/preferences-helpers.ts
+++ b/src/common/user-store/preferences-helpers.ts
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ const updateChannels = new Map([
     label: "Alpha"
   }],
 ]);
-const defaultUpdateChannel = new SemVer(getAppVersion()).prerelease[0].toString();
+const defaultUpdateChannel = new SemVer(getAppVersion()).prerelease[0]?.toString() || "latest";
 
 const updateChannel: PreferenceDescription<string> = {
   fromStore(val) {