diff --git a/awx/ui/client/src/inventories/manage/groups/groups-edit.controller.js b/awx/ui/client/src/inventories/manage/groups/groups-edit.controller.js
index 1b54bc92f1..ae90cae8bf 100644
--- a/awx/ui/client/src/inventories/manage/groups/groups-edit.controller.js
+++ b/awx/ui/client/src/inventories/manage/groups/groups-edit.controller.js
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ export default ['$state', '$stateParams', '$scope', 'ToggleNotification', 'Parse
             $scope.source = source;
             if (source.value === 'ec2' || source.value === 'custom' ||
                 source.value === 'vmware' || source.value === 'openstack') {
-                $scope[source.value + '_variables'] = $scope[source.value + '_variables'] === null ? '---' : $scope[source.value + '_variables'];
+                $scope[source.value + '_variables'] = $scope[source.value + '_variables'] === (null || undefined) ? '---' : $scope[source.value + '_variables'];
                 ParseTypeChange({
                     scope: $scope,
                     field_id: source.value + '_variables',