diff --git a/packages/block-library/src/post-time-to-read/edit.js b/packages/block-library/src/post-time-to-read/edit.js
index 5cdb81c05e386c..abfdce6630a67d 100644
--- a/packages/block-library/src/post-time-to-read/edit.js
+++ b/packages/block-library/src/post-time-to-read/edit.js
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ function PostTimeToReadEdit( { attributes, setAttributes, context } ) {
 		const minutesToRead = Math.max(
 			1,
 			Math.round(
-				wordCount( content, wordCountType ) / AVERAGE_READING_RATE
+				wordCount( content || '', wordCountType ) / AVERAGE_READING_RATE
 			)
 		);