diff --git a/src/lib/Persistence/Legacy/Content/FieldValue/Converter/SelectionConverter.php b/src/lib/Persistence/Legacy/Content/FieldValue/Converter/SelectionConverter.php
index f2f14815f1..2341bfda28 100644
--- a/src/lib/Persistence/Legacy/Content/FieldValue/Converter/SelectionConverter.php
+++ b/src/lib/Persistence/Legacy/Content/FieldValue/Converter/SelectionConverter.php
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ public function toFieldDefinition(StorageFieldDefinition $storageDef, FieldDefin
         }
 
         foreach ($storageDef->multilingualData as $languageCode => $mlData) {
-            $xml = simplexml_load_string($mlData->dataText);
+            $xml = $mlData->dataText ? simplexml_load_string($mlData->dataText) : false;
             if ($xml !== false) {
                 foreach ($xml->options->option as $option) {
                     $multiLingualOptions[$languageCode][(int)$option['id']] = (string)$option['name'];