diff --git a/src/components/PageProgress.tsx b/src/components/PageProgress.tsx
index dcba3b744..6fe1654e5 100644
--- a/src/components/PageProgress.tsx
+++ b/src/components/PageProgress.tsx
@@ -14,6 +14,10 @@ export function PageProgress(props: Props) {
   const $pageProgressMessage = useStore(pageProgressMessage);
 
   useEffect(() => {
+    if ($pageProgressMessage === undefined) {
+      return;
+    }
+
     setMessage($pageProgressMessage);
   }, [$pageProgressMessage]);
 
diff --git a/src/stores/page.ts b/src/stores/page.ts
index 187825095..137450ea2 100644
--- a/src/stores/page.ts
+++ b/src/stores/page.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 import { atom } from 'nanostores';
 
-export const pageProgressMessage = atom('');
+export const pageProgressMessage = atom<string | undefined>(undefined);
 export const sponsorHidden = atom(false);