diff --git a/app/views/play/level/tome/TomeView.coffee b/app/views/play/level/tome/TomeView.coffee
index 98a11b42d..442b8cf4b 100644
--- a/app/views/play/level/tome/TomeView.coffee
+++ b/app/views/play/level/tome/TomeView.coffee
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ module.exports = class TomeView extends CocoView
     spell = @spellFor thang, spellName
     unless spell?.canRead()
       @clearSpellView()
-      @updateSpellPalette thang, spell
+      @updateSpellPalette thang, spell if spell
       return
     unless spell.view is @spellView
       @clearSpellView()