diff --git a/apps/files_versions/lib/Storage.php b/apps/files_versions/lib/Storage.php
index 44ce909e03ba8..c5184a8ffe136 100644
--- a/apps/files_versions/lib/Storage.php
+++ b/apps/files_versions/lib/Storage.php
@@ -929,7 +929,7 @@ public static function expire($filename, $uid) {
 					$pathparts = pathinfo($path);
 					$timestamp = (int)substr($pathparts['extension'] ?? '', 1);
 					$versionEntity = $versionsMapper->findVersionForFileId($file->getId(), $timestamp);
-					if ($versionEntity->getMetadataValue('label') !== '') {
+					if ($versionEntity->getMetadataValue('label') !== null && $versionEntity->getMetadataValue('label') !== '') {
 						continue;
 					}
 					$versionsMapper->delete($versionEntity);