diff --git a/workspaces/arborist/lib/arborist/reify.js b/workspaces/arborist/lib/arborist/reify.js
index e6d719b6b3468..ae1b1dbc497ce 100644
--- a/workspaces/arborist/lib/arborist/reify.js
+++ b/workspaces/arborist/lib/arborist/reify.js
@@ -571,7 +571,7 @@ module.exports = cls => class Reifier extends cls {
       const { top } = node
 
       // if the top is not the root or workspace then we do not want to omit it
-      if (!top.isProjectRoot && !top.isWorkspace) {
+      if (top && !top.isProjectRoot && !top.isWorkspace) {
         continue
       }