diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 8f6a26d5..b1c7bb32 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -106,11 +106,15 @@
   auto-detection ([#1465][1465]).
 * Crash when `XDG_ACTIVATION_TOKEN` is set, but compositor does not
   support XDG activation ([#1493][1493]).
+* Crash when compositor calls `fractional_scale::preferred_scale()`
+  when there are no monitors (for example, after a monitor has been
+  turned off and then back on again) ([#1498][1498]).
 
 [1436]: https://codeberg.org/dnkl/foot/issues/1436
 [1464]: https://codeberg.org/dnkl/foot/issues/1464
 [1465]: https://codeberg.org/dnkl/foot/issues/1465
 [1493]: https://codeberg.org/dnkl/foot/pulls/1493
+[1498]: https://codeberg.org/dnkl/foot/issues/1498
 
 
 ### Security
diff --git a/terminal.c b/terminal.c
index 1b082100..06f47685 100644
--- a/terminal.c
+++ b/terminal.c
@@ -826,9 +826,9 @@ get_font_dpi(const struct terminal *term)
         : &tll_front(term->wl->monitors);
 
     if (term_fractional_scaling(term))
-        return mon->dpi.physical;
+        return mon != NULL ? mon->dpi.physical : 96.;
     else
-        return mon->dpi.scaled;
+        return mon != NULL ? mon->dpi.scaled : 96.;
 }
 
 static enum fcft_subpixel