diff --git a/packages/ep_products/Classes/Service/LabelService.php b/packages/ep_products/Classes/Service/LabelService.php
index 0d52d3a..e94363b 100644
--- a/packages/ep_products/Classes/Service/LabelService.php
+++ b/packages/ep_products/Classes/Service/LabelService.php
@@ -78,8 +78,12 @@ class LabelService
     public function getOfficetipLabel(&$parameters, $parentObject)
     {
         $officetip = BackendUtility::getRecord('tx_epproducts_domain_model_officetip', $parameters['row']['uid']);
-        $author = BackendUtility::getRecord('tx_epproducts_domain_model_teammember', $officetip['author']);
-        $parameters['title'] = sprintf('%s (%s)', substr($officetip['label'], 0, 30), $author['name']);
+        // Many tips still point to team members who have left (deleted records)
+        $author = BackendUtility::getRecord('tx_epproducts_domain_model_teammember', (int)($officetip['author'] ?? 0));
+        $parameters['title'] = substr($officetip['label'] ?? '', 0, 30);
+        if (!empty($author['name'])) {
+            $parameters['title'] .= ' (' . $author['name'] . ')';
+        }
     }
 
     /**