diff --git a/scm-ui/src/repos/components/changesets/changesets.js b/scm-ui/src/repos/components/changesets/changesets.js
index 9d4821e5ec..f61a89c74b 100644
--- a/scm-ui/src/repos/components/changesets/changesets.js
+++ b/scm-ui/src/repos/components/changesets/changesets.js
@@ -4,17 +4,18 @@ export type Description = {
   message: string
 };
 
-export function parseDescription(description: string): Description {
-  const lineBreak = description.indexOf("\n");
+export function parseDescription(description?: string): Description {
+  const desc = description ? description : "";
+  const lineBreak = desc.indexOf("\n");
 
   let title;
   let message = "";
 
   if (lineBreak > 0) {
-    title = description.substring(0, lineBreak);
-    message = description.substring(lineBreak + 1);
+    title = desc.substring(0, lineBreak);
+    message = desc.substring(lineBreak + 1);
   } else {
-    title = description;
+    title = desc;
   }
 
   return {
diff --git a/scm-ui/src/repos/components/changesets/changesets.test.js b/scm-ui/src/repos/components/changesets/changesets.test.js
index cd3788e9fb..ea92bcead3 100644
--- a/scm-ui/src/repos/components/changesets/changesets.test.js
+++ b/scm-ui/src/repos/components/changesets/changesets.test.js
@@ -13,4 +13,10 @@ describe("parseDescription tests", () => {
     const desc = parseDescription("Hello Trillian");
     expect(desc.title).toBe("Hello Trillian");
   });
+
+  it("should return an empty description for undefined", () => {
+    const desc = parseDescription();
+    expect(desc.title).toBe("");
+    expect(desc.message).toBe("");
+  });
 });