diff --git a/addons/web/static/src/legacy/js/views/basic/basic_renderer.js b/addons/web/static/src/legacy/js/views/basic/basic_renderer.js
index 360dfe65e7f..f2a19a0ca6f 100644
--- a/addons/web/static/src/legacy/js/views/basic/basic_renderer.js
+++ b/addons/web/static/src/legacy/js/views/basic/basic_renderer.js
@@ -789,6 +789,9 @@ var BasicRenderer = AbstractRenderer.extend(WidgetAdapterMixin, {
         // associated to new widget)
         var self = this;
         def.then(function () {
+            if(!widget.$el){
+                return;
+            }
             // when the caller of renderFieldWidget uses something like
             // this.renderFieldWidget(...).addClass(...), the class is added on
             // the temporary div and not on the actual element that will be