diff --git a/source/blender/blenloader/intern/readfile.c b/source/blender/blenloader/intern/readfile.c
index 35b699f29b8..a8181f1e043 100644
--- a/source/blender/blenloader/intern/readfile.c
+++ b/source/blender/blenloader/intern/readfile.c
@@ -5679,16 +5679,14 @@ static void direct_link_collection(FileData *fd, Collection *collection)
 
 #ifdef USE_COLLECTION_COMPAT_28
 	/* This runs before the very first doversion. */
+	collection->collection = newdataadr(fd, collection->collection);
 	if (collection->collection != NULL) {
-		collection->collection = newdataadr(fd, collection->collection);
 		direct_link_scene_collection(fd, collection->collection);
 	}
 
+	collection->view_layer = newdataadr(fd, collection->view_layer);
 	if (collection->view_layer != NULL) {
-		collection->view_layer = newdataadr(fd, collection->view_layer);
-		if (collection->view_layer != NULL) {
-			direct_link_view_layer(fd, collection->view_layer);
-		}
+		direct_link_view_layer(fd, collection->view_layer);
 	}
 #endif
 }
diff --git a/source/blender/blenloader/intern/versioning_280.c b/source/blender/blenloader/intern/versioning_280.c
index 86c8da91251..63fe9642ee7 100644
--- a/source/blender/blenloader/intern/versioning_280.c
+++ b/source/blender/blenloader/intern/versioning_280.c
@@ -297,6 +297,7 @@ static void do_version_group_collection_to_collection(Main *bmain, Collection *g
 	}
 
 	group->collection = NULL;
+	group->view_layer = NULL;
 	id_fake_user_set(&group->id);
 }