diff --git a/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/screens/inspector/layout_explorer/box/box.dart b/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/screens/inspector/layout_explorer/box/box.dart
index d8cf68d744c..b98eed6b635 100644
--- a/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/screens/inspector/layout_explorer/box/box.dart
+++ b/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/screens/inspector/layout_explorer/box/box.dart
@@ -87,7 +87,16 @@ class BoxLayoutExplorerWidgetState extends LayoutExplorerWidgetState<
 
   @override
   Widget build(BuildContext context) {
-    if (properties == null) return const SizedBox();
+    if (properties == null) {
+      final selectedNodeLocal = selectedNode;
+      return Center(
+        child: Text(
+          '${selectedNodeLocal?.description ?? 'Widget'} has no layout properties to display.',
+          textAlign: TextAlign.center,
+          overflow: TextOverflow.clip,
+        ),
+      );
+    }
     return Container(
       margin: const EdgeInsets.all(margin),
       padding: const EdgeInsets.only(bottom: margin, right: margin),
diff --git a/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/screens/inspector/layout_explorer/ui/layout_explorer_widget.dart b/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/screens/inspector/layout_explorer/ui/layout_explorer_widget.dart
index 1781a701d3e..3c59dee52a1 100644
--- a/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/screens/inspector/layout_explorer/ui/layout_explorer_widget.dart
+++ b/packages/devtools_app/lib/src/screens/inspector/layout_explorer/ui/layout_explorer_widget.dart
@@ -78,9 +78,7 @@ abstract class LayoutExplorerWidgetState<W extends LayoutExplorerWidget,
     if (shouldFetch) {
       _dirty = false;
       final newSelection = await fetchLayoutProperties();
-      if (newSelection != null) {
-        _setProperties(newSelection);
-      }
+      _setProperties(newSelection);
     } else {
       updateHighlighted(_properties);
     }
@@ -219,7 +217,7 @@ abstract class LayoutExplorerWidgetState<W extends LayoutExplorerWidget,
     });
   }
 
-  void _setProperties(L newProperties) {
+  void _setProperties(L? newProperties) {
     if (!mounted) return;
     updateHighlighted(newProperties);
     if (_properties == newProperties) {