diff --git a/src/rviz/properties/property.cpp b/src/rviz/properties/property.cpp
index 1c4fb3257..200ebe213 100644
--- a/src/rviz/properties/property.cpp
+++ b/src/rviz/properties/property.cpp
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 #include <QPalette>
 #include <QLineEdit>
 #include <QSpinBox>
+#include <QTimer>
 
 #include <rviz/properties/float_edit.h>
 #include <rviz/properties/property_tree_model.h>
@@ -395,7 +396,8 @@ void Property::setModel(PropertyTreeModel* model)
   model_ = model;
   if (model_ && hidden_)
   {
-    model_->emitPropertyHiddenChanged(this);
+    // process propertyHiddenChanged after insertion into model has finished
+    QTimer::singleShot(0, model_, [this]() { model_->emitPropertyHiddenChanged(this); });
   }
   int num_children = numChildren();
   for (int i = 0; i < num_children; i++)
diff --git a/src/rviz/properties/property_tree_model.cpp b/src/rviz/properties/property_tree_model.cpp
index 5cf2ab3d5..6c5b73777 100644
--- a/src/rviz/properties/property_tree_model.cpp
+++ b/src/rviz/properties/property_tree_model.cpp
@@ -108,10 +108,6 @@ QModelIndex PropertyTreeModel::parentIndex(const Property* child) const
     return QModelIndex();
   }
   Property* parent = child->getParent();
-  if (parent == root_property_ || !parent)
-  {
-    return QModelIndex();
-  }
   return indexOf(parent);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/rviz/properties/property_tree_widget.cpp b/src/rviz/properties/property_tree_widget.cpp
index a935e29d6..7387eb673 100644
--- a/src/rviz/properties/property_tree_widget.cpp
+++ b/src/rviz/properties/property_tree_widget.cpp
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
 #include <rviz/properties/status_list.h>
 
 #include <rviz/properties/property_tree_widget.h>
+#include <ros/console.h>
 
 namespace rviz
 {
@@ -122,7 +123,12 @@ void PropertyTreeWidget::propertyHiddenChanged(const Property* property)
 {
   if (model_)
   {
-    setRowHidden(property->rowNumberInParent(), model_->parentIndex(property), property->getHidden());
+    const auto& parent_index = model_->parentIndex(property);
+    if (parent_index.isValid())
+      setRowHidden(property->rowNumberInParent(), parent_index, property->getHidden());
+    else
+      ROS_WARN_STREAM("Trying to hide property '" << qPrintable(property->getName())
+                                                  << "' that is not part of the model.");
   }
 }