diff --git a/app/presenters/hyrax/permission_badge.rb b/app/presenters/hyrax/permission_badge.rb
index 6925973f10..fde26af8ba 100644
--- a/app/presenters/hyrax/permission_badge.rb
+++ b/app/presenters/hyrax/permission_badge.rb
@@ -24,14 +24,15 @@ def render
     private
 
     def dom_label_class
-      VISIBILITY_LABEL_CLASS.fetch(@visibility.to_sym, 'badge-info')
+      VISIBILITY_LABEL_CLASS.fetch(@visibility&.to_sym, 'badge-info')
     end
 
     def text
       if registered?
         Institution.name
       else
-        I18n.t("hyrax.visibility.#{@visibility}.text")
+        visibility_key = @visibility || 'unknown'
+        I18n.t("hyrax.visibility.#{visibility_key}.text")
       end
     end
 
diff --git a/config/locales/hyrax.en.yml b/config/locales/hyrax.en.yml
index 885f2cffe5..83ba84a671 100644
--- a/config/locales/hyrax.en.yml
+++ b/config/locales/hyrax.en.yml
@@ -1687,6 +1687,8 @@ en:
         note_html: Keep to myself with option to share.
         text: Private
       restricted_title_attr: Change the visibility of this resource
+      unknown:
+        text: Unknown
     work_button_row:
       attach_child: Attach Child
     workflow:
diff --git a/spec/presenters/hyrax/permission_badge_spec.rb b/spec/presenters/hyrax/permission_badge_spec.rb
index 5a8e4476db..5a0f22f7ad 100644
--- a/spec/presenters/hyrax/permission_badge_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/presenters/hyrax/permission_badge_spec.rb
@@ -35,6 +35,13 @@
       context "when private" do
         it { is_expected.to eq "<span class=\"badge badge-danger\">Private</span>" }
       end
+
+      # solr document can have no visibility indexed
+      it "does not fail when nil is passed" do
+        badge = described_class.new(nil)
+
+        expect(badge.render).to eq "<span class=\"badge badge-info\">Unknown</span>"
+      end
     end
   end