diff --git a/Generals/Code/Tools/WorldBuilder/src/ObjectOptions.cpp b/Generals/Code/Tools/WorldBuilder/src/ObjectOptions.cpp
index 4c6a369f38..8ef7c88f13 100644
--- a/Generals/Code/Tools/WorldBuilder/src/ObjectOptions.cpp
+++ b/Generals/Code/Tools/WorldBuilder/src/ObjectOptions.cpp
@@ -402,10 +402,11 @@ HTREEITEM ObjectOptions::_FindOrDont(const char* pLabel, HTREEITEM startPoint)
 	std::list<HTREEITEM> itemsToEx;
 	itemsToEx.push_back(startPoint);
 
-	while (itemsToEx.front()) {
+	while (!itemsToEx.empty()) {
 		char buffer[_MAX_PATH];
 		HTREEITEM hItem = itemsToEx.front();
 		itemsToEx.pop_front();
+		DEBUG_ASSERTCRASH(hItem != nullptr, ("Unexpected tree item pointer in ObjectOptions::_FindOrDont"));
 
 		if (!m_objectTreeView.ItemHasChildren(hItem)) {
 			TVITEM item;
diff --git a/GeneralsMD/Code/Tools/WorldBuilder/src/ObjectOptions.cpp b/GeneralsMD/Code/Tools/WorldBuilder/src/ObjectOptions.cpp
index c15e1d3657..dcc8db44aa 100644
--- a/GeneralsMD/Code/Tools/WorldBuilder/src/ObjectOptions.cpp
+++ b/GeneralsMD/Code/Tools/WorldBuilder/src/ObjectOptions.cpp
@@ -402,10 +402,11 @@ HTREEITEM ObjectOptions::_FindOrDont(const char* pLabel, HTREEITEM startPoint)
 	std::list<HTREEITEM> itemsToEx;
 	itemsToEx.push_back(startPoint);
 
-	while (itemsToEx.front()) {
+	while (!itemsToEx.empty()) {
 		char buffer[_MAX_PATH];
 		HTREEITEM hItem = itemsToEx.front();
 		itemsToEx.pop_front();
+		DEBUG_ASSERTCRASH(hItem != nullptr, ("Unexpected tree item pointer in ObjectOptions::_FindOrDont"));
 
 		if (!m_objectTreeView.ItemHasChildren(hItem)) {
 			TVITEM item;