diff --git a/app/Http/Requests/Traits/MayContainCustomFields.php b/app/Http/Requests/Traits/MayContainCustomFields.php
index 1dd25dbe03..2feada1774 100644
--- a/app/Http/Requests/Traits/MayContainCustomFields.php
+++ b/app/Http/Requests/Traits/MayContainCustomFields.php
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ trait MayContainCustomFields
             });
             // if there are custom fields, find the one's that don't exist on the model's fieldset and add an error to the validator's error bag
             if (count($request_fields) > 0) {
-                $request_fields->diff($asset_model->fieldset->fields->pluck('db_column'))
+                $request_fields->diff($asset_model?->fieldset?->fields?->pluck('db_column'))
                         ->each(function ($request_field_name) use ($request_fields, $validator) {
                             if (CustomField::where('db_column', $request_field_name)->exists()) {
                                 $validator->errors()->add($request_field_name, trans('validation.custom.custom_field_not_found_on_model'));
diff --git a/tests/Feature/Assets/Api/UpdateAssetTest.php b/tests/Feature/Assets/Api/UpdateAssetTest.php
index db5893b4dc..2a57d38391 100644
--- a/tests/Feature/Assets/Api/UpdateAssetTest.php
+++ b/tests/Feature/Assets/Api/UpdateAssetTest.php
@@ -269,6 +269,8 @@ class UpdateAssetTest extends TestCase
     {
         $this->markIncompleteIfMySQL('Custom Fields tests do not work on MySQL');
 
+        // hmm, for some reason this customfield isn't attached to a fieldset
+        // need to check out these factory methods...
         $field = CustomField::factory()->testEncrypted()->create();
         $asset = Asset::factory()->hasEncryptedCustomField($field)->create();
         $superuser = User::factory()->superuser()->create();