diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Web.BackOffice/Trees/ContentTreeController.cs b/src/Umbraco.Web.BackOffice/Trees/ContentTreeController.cs
index 4728ebbca8..7491cbce33 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Web.BackOffice/Trees/ContentTreeController.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Web.BackOffice/Trees/ContentTreeController.cs
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ public class ContentTreeController : ContentTreeControllerBase, ISearchableTreeW
 
             var documentEntity = (IDocumentEntitySlim)entity;
 
-            if (!documentEntity.Variations.VariesByCulture())
+            if (!documentEntity.Variations.VariesByCulture() || culture.IsNullOrWhiteSpace())
             {
                 if (!documentEntity.Published)
                 {