diff --git a/src/memory/qmd-scope.ts b/src/memory/qmd-scope.ts
index 050a7fa7e8d..dd463501274 100644
--- a/src/memory/qmd-scope.ts
+++ b/src/memory/qmd-scope.ts
@@ -59,6 +59,9 @@ export function deriveQmdScopeChatType(key?: string): "channel" | "group" | "dir
 }
 
 function parseQmdSessionScope(key?: string): ParsedQmdSessionScope {
+  if (!key) {
+    return {};
+  }
   const normalized = normalizeQmdSessionKey(key);
   if (!normalized) {
     return {};