diff --git a/internal/requests/presence.go b/internal/requests/presence.go
index 3eab0c85..b26a56ec 100644
--- a/internal/requests/presence.go
+++ b/internal/requests/presence.go
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ type CatalogPresence struct {
 
 func NewCatalogPresence(items *catalog.ItemRepository, providerIDs ...*catalog.ProviderIDRepository) *CatalogPresence {
 	var backfill tmdbBackfiller
-	if len(providerIDs) > 0 {
+	if len(providerIDs) > 0 && providerIDs[0] != nil {
 		backfill = providerIDs[0]
 	}
 	return &CatalogPresence{items: items, tmdbBackfill: backfill}
diff --git a/internal/requests/presence_test.go b/internal/requests/presence_test.go
index 4bbbbb03..ae65fe3d 100644
--- a/internal/requests/presence_test.go
+++ b/internal/requests/presence_test.go
@@ -82,3 +82,10 @@ func TestCatalogPresenceKeepsLookupTMDBCompatibility(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("lookup candidates = %+v, want tmdb candidate", lookup.got)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestNewCatalogPresenceIgnoresNilBackfiller(t *testing.T) {
+	presence := NewCatalogPresence(nil, nil)
+	if presence.tmdbBackfill != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("tmdbBackfill = %#v, want nil", presence.tmdbBackfill)
+	}
+}