diff --git a/src/activity_item_handling.cpp b/src/activity_item_handling.cpp
index 1150f0d5da465..4f85b344102fe 100644
--- a/src/activity_item_handling.cpp
+++ b/src/activity_item_handling.cpp
@@ -1322,10 +1322,14 @@ static activity_reason_info can_do_activity_there( const activity_id &act, Chara
 
             if( here.has_flag_furn( ter_furn_flag::TFLAG_GROWTH_HARVEST, src_loc ) ) {
                 map_stack items = here.i_at( src_loc );
-                const map_stack::iterator seed = std::find_if( items.begin(), items.end(), []( const item & it ) {
+                const map_stack::iterator seed_iter =
+                std::find_if( items.begin(), items.end(), []( const item & it ) {
                     return it.is_seed();
                 } );
-                if( seed->has_flag( json_flag_CUT_HARVEST ) ) {
+                if( seed_iter == items.end() ) {
+                    debugmsg( "Missing seed item at %s", src_loc.to_string() );
+                    return activity_reason_info::fail( do_activity_reason::ALREADY_DONE );
+                } else if( seed_iter->has_flag( json_flag_CUT_HARVEST ) ) {
                     // The plant in this location needs a grass cutting tool.
                     if( you.has_quality( quality_id( qual_GRASS_CUT ), 1 ) ) {
                         return activity_reason_info::ok( do_activity_reason::NEEDS_CUT_HARVESTING );