diff --git a/.changeset/cool-moons-thank.md b/.changeset/cool-moons-thank.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ec20b8780d5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/cool-moons-thank.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@astrojs/starlight': patch
+---
+
+Prevent Starlight crashing when the content folder doesn't exist, or is empty
diff --git a/packages/starlight/utils/routing.ts b/packages/starlight/utils/routing.ts
index 56bd7c84ab0..6af940c801b 100644
--- a/packages/starlight/utils/routing.ts
+++ b/packages/starlight/utils/routing.ts
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ interface Path extends GetStaticPathsItem {
 const normalizeIndexSlug = (slug: string) => (slug === 'index' ? '' : slug);
 
 /** All entries in the docs content collection. */
-const docs: StarlightDocsEntry[] = (await getCollection('docs')).map(({ slug, ...entry }) => ({
+  const docs: StarlightDocsEntry[] = (await getCollection('docs') ?? []).map(({ slug, ...entry }) => ({
 	...entry,
 	slug: normalizeIndexSlug(slug),
 }));