diff --git a/module/VuFind/src/VuFind/Recommend/VisualFacets.php b/module/VuFind/src/VuFind/Recommend/VisualFacets.php
index ba16cb896fa03a727161500efff16100b2ce0a41..c55d4fa9aa612e02dd946158d610d12cb8f34c6c 100644
--- a/module/VuFind/src/VuFind/Recommend/VisualFacets.php
+++ b/module/VuFind/src/VuFind/Recommend/VisualFacets.php
@@ -98,6 +98,8 @@ class VisualFacets extends AbstractFacets
      */
     public function getPivotFacetSet()
     {
-        return $this->results->getPivotFacetList();
+        // Avoid fatal error in case of unexpected results object (e.g. EmptySet):
+        return is_callable(array($this->results, 'getPivotFacetList'))
+            ? $this->results->getPivotFacetList() : array();
     }
 }