diff --git a/src/applications/project/controller/PhabricatorProjectBoardViewController.php b/src/applications/project/controller/PhabricatorProjectBoardViewController.php
index c8380998a4..130301955a 100644
--- a/src/applications/project/controller/PhabricatorProjectBoardViewController.php
+++ b/src/applications/project/controller/PhabricatorProjectBoardViewController.php
@@ -68,7 +68,9 @@ final class PhabricatorProjectBoardViewController
     $columns = $column_query->execute();
     $columns = mpull($columns, null, 'getSequence');
 
-    if (empty($columns[0])) {
+    // TODO: Expand the checks here if we add the ability
+    // to hide the Backlog column
+    if (!$columns) {
       switch ($request->getStr('initialize-type')) {
         case 'backlog-only':
           $unguarded = AphrontWriteGuard::beginScopedUnguardedWrites();