diff --git a/lib/helpers/populate/markArraySubdocsPopulated.js b/lib/helpers/populate/markArraySubdocsPopulated.js
index 28b19a1989a..a22605a1d78 100644
--- a/lib/helpers/populate/markArraySubdocsPopulated.js
+++ b/lib/helpers/populate/markArraySubdocsPopulated.js
@@ -38,7 +38,9 @@ module.exports = function markArraySubdocsPopulated(doc, populated) {
 
       if (utils.isMongooseDocumentArray(val)) {
         for (let j = 0; j < val.length; ++j) {
-          val[j].populated(rest, item._docs[id] == null ? void 0 : item._docs[id][j], item);
+          if(val[j]){
+            val[j].populated(rest, item._docs[id] == null ? void 0 : item._docs[id][j], item);
+          }
         }
         break;
       }