diff --git a/zone/zonedb.cpp b/zone/zonedb.cpp
index bcfaa935d..3f0ac20e8 100644
--- a/zone/zonedb.cpp
+++ b/zone/zonedb.cpp
@@ -3472,6 +3472,9 @@ bool ZoneDatabase::LoadFactionData()
 	}
 
     auto& fmr_row = faction_max_results.begin();
+	if (fmr_row[0] == nullptr) {
+		return false;
+	}
 
 	max_faction = Strings::ToUnsignedInt(fmr_row[0]);
 	faction_array = new Faction *[max_faction + 1];